Source: United States Attorneys General
An El Paso, Texas, woman pleaded guilty today to smuggling unaccompanied alien children into the United States.
According to court documents, Dianne Guadian, 33, and three other members of an alien smuggling organization brought unaccompanied alien children between the ages of five and 13 illegally into the United States from Juarez, Mexico, sometimes using candy laced with THC to sedate them during smuggling events. The drivers and their co-conspirators would then present U.S. documents to inspecting officers falsely claiming the documents belonged to the children, and that they were the parents of the children. Once inside the United States, the children were then transported to El Paso. During one smuggling event, a child was taken to a local hospital and diagnosed with THC poisoning. One of Guadian’s co-defendants, Manuel Valenzuela, was sentenced on July 1 to five years in prison for his role in the child smuggling scheme.
A photo of THC gummies recovered by agents during secondary inspection at the port of entry
“This defendant and her co-conspirators engaged in serious and dangerous conduct, which included giving THC laced gummies to children to sedate them while smuggling them from Mexico into the United States, all in order to make money,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The smuggling of unaccompanied children can expose them to the additional crimes and societal ills of human trafficking and sexual assault. This robs them of their innocence and youth, and it must be stopped.”
“Dianne Guadian was just one conspirator in a sickening smuggling operation, toying with the lives of children by drugging them in order to bring them into the United States from Mexico,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “Fortunately, our partners at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recognized something was off. Their keen instincts resulted in the successful medical treatment of THC-poisoned children and the arrests of the smugglers. While we will aggressively prosecute all alien smugglers, those who smuggle children and risk the lives of those children in the process, should be especially aware that their date with American justice is coming at the hands of prosecutors in the Western District of Texas.”
“Dianne Guadian’s actions were not only unscrupulous, they put innocent children in grave danger,” said Deputy Executive Associate Director Matthew Millhollin of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). Human smuggling is never a victimless crime. Smugglers routinely expose vulnerable people, including children, exploitation and life-threatening risk. HSI is committed to holding individuals like Guadian accountable and dismantling criminal organizations that profit from the desperation and suffering of others.”
“Criminal human smugglers exploit vulnerable children in horrific ways,” said Chief Patrol Agent Jesse Munoz of U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector. “I am glad our Border Patrol agents investigating this case were able to contribute to the successful prosecution of a criminal who will be held accountable for this terrible crime.”
Guadian pleaded guilty to four counts of aiding and abetting bringing of aliens without authorization for profit. She faces a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HSI El Paso and U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) led investigative efforts, with substantial assistance from HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. and CBP’s National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force.
Trial Attorney Bethany Allen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Hines for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.
The indictment and plea announced today were coordinated and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating high-impact human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs). JTFA also leads and supports U.S. Attorneys’ Offices (USAOs) in the prosecution of crimes related to unaccompanied alien children (UACs). A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes human smuggling and trafficking and related immigration crimes that impact public safety and border security. JTFA’s mission is to target the leaders and organizers of Cartels and TCOs involved in human smuggling and trafficking throughout the Americas. The Attorney General has elevated and expanded JTFA to target the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating not only in Mexico and the Northern Triangle countries of Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras, but also in Canada, the Caribbean and the maritime border, and elsewhere. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by the Money Laundering, Narcotics and Forfeiture Section, the Office of International Affairs, and the Office of Enforcement Operations, among others, JTFA has dedicated Assistant U.S. Attorneys from the Southern District of California; District of Arizona; District of New Mexico; Western and Southern Districts of Texas; Southern District of Florida; Northern District of New York; and District of Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including HSI and CBP/USBP and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 465 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 424 U.S. convictions; and more than 368 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
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. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).