Mexican National from New Jersey Charged with Transporting Illegal Aliens from Canadian Border

Burlington, Vermont – The Office of the United States Attorney for the District of Vermont announced that on December 18, 2025, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Carlos Nonoal-Cano, 26, a Mexican national from Lakewood, New Jersey, with transportation of illegal aliens on December 16, 2025. In related cases, the U.S. Attorney’s Office charged two of Nonoal-Cano’s passengers, Christopher Gonzales-Castillo (48, Mexico) and Aracely Ramos-Quina (27, Spain), with illegal entry into the United States.

On December 18, 2025, Nonoal-Cano pled not guilty to the charge during an arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle. Judge Doyle detained Nonoal-Cano in a hearing on December 19, 2025. Also on December 18, 2025, Gonzales-Castillo appeared before Judge Doyle and was detained. Ramos-Quina appeared in court on December 18, 2025, pled guilty and was detained as a material witness.

According to court records, on December 16, 2025, agents from U.S. Border Patrol received a notification of border crossing on the Vermont-Canada border and received an image of individuals crossing the snow-covered border on foot taken that evening. When Border Patrol agents conducted a search of the remote area near the Canadian border, they observed a black Honda Pilot with New Jersey license plates as it stopped in a wooded, unpopulated area and turned around. When they stopped the vehicle, Border Patrol agents found that Nonoal-Cano – the driver – was transporting two unrelated adults and two unaccompanied, and unrelated, juveniles with snow on their boots.

Border patrol agents determined that Nonoal-Cano’s passengers did not have lawful status in the United States and were likely being smuggled for profit. In an interview with U.S. Border Patrol, Ramos-Quina, a Spanish national with dual citizenship in Ecuador, admitted to being present in the United States without lawful status. Ramos-Quina admitted to having agreed to pay $3,500 to a smuggler she found through social media.

The United States Attorney’s Office emphasizes that an indictment and complaint contain allegations only and that Nonoal-Cano and Gonzales-Castillo are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. Nonoal-Cano faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Gonzales-Castillo faces up to 6 months in prison if convicted. The actual sentence, however, would be determined by the District Court with guidance from the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines and the statutory sentencing factors.

First Assistant United States Attorney Michael P. Drescher commended the investigatory efforts of U.S. Border Patrol.

The prosecutor is Assistant United States Attorney Dana E. Hill. Nonoal-Cano is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender. Gonzales-Castillo is represented by Michael J. Straub, Esq.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.