Defendant Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Activity at Cambria County Prison

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. - A resident of Phoenix, Arizona, pleaded guilty in federal court on September 22, 2026, to a charge of violating federal racketeering laws, United States Attorney Troy Rivetti announced today.

Ashley Aguilar, 27, pleaded guilty to Count Two of the Indictment before United States District Judge Stephanie L. Haines.

In connection with the guilty plea, the Court was advised that, from in and around July 2023 through in and around October 2023, Aguilar conspired to commit money laundering. Aguilar acted as a facilitator in racketeering activities by sending and receiving payments on behalf of inmates at the Cambria County Prison for smuggled contraband.

Aguilar is among 10 residents of Pennsylvania and Arizona indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2025 for their alleged participation in the racketeer-influenced corruption organization (RICO) conspiracy. Read the Indictment news release here.

Judge Haines scheduled sentencing for February 10, 2027. The law provides for a maximum total sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a fine of up to $500,000, or both. Under the federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed is based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant United States Attorney Maureen Sheehan-Balchon is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, the Cambria County District Attorney’s Office, and the Cambria County Prison conducted the investigation that led to the prosecution of Aguilar.