Mexican National Charged With Alien Smuggling

The United States Attorney’s Office and the Swanton Sector of the United States Border Patrol announce that Francisco Alejo-Medrano, 27, a citizen of Mexico who has no legal status in the United States, appeared yesterday in United States District Court in Burlington on a charge that he unlawfully transported aliens within the United States.  U.S. District Judge Christina Reiss ordered that Alejo-Medrano be detained pending further proceedings. 

According to the criminal complaint, on the evening of May 1, agents at the Newport Border Patrol station learned that a group of persons was entering the United States from Canada on foot, near an area known as Goodall Farm in Derby Line.  Agents dispatched to the area observed six individuals huddled together in a wooded area near a road near the border.  Shortly thereafter, agents saw an SUV drive up to the group.  The vehicle stopped and the six individuals got in.  A short time later, agents stopped the vehicle.  Alejo-Medrano was the driver.  The other six passengers were all determined to be undocumented Mexican citizens  All seven occupants were arrested.  The six passengers are being charged with unlawfully entering the United States. 

The United States Attorney emphasizes that the charge in the complaint is merely an accusation, and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until he is proven guilty.

If convicted, Alejo-Medrano faces up to five years of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.  The actual sentence would be determined with reference to federal sentencing guidelines.

The Swanton Sector Border Patrol is responsible for securing the land border between ports of entry in Vermont as well as New Hampshire and northeastern New York. The assistance of citizens is invaluable in helping the U.S. Border Patrol accomplish their border security mission and they welcome community members to help them keep our nation’s borders safe by reporting suspicious activity at 1-800-689-3362.

For more on CBP’s mission at our nation’s ports of entry with CBP officers and along U.S. borders with Border Patrol agents, please visit the Border Security section of the CBP website.

Alejo-Medrano is represented by Lisa Shelkrot.  The prosecutor is Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Waples.