Three Colombian Nationals Arrested, Charged in Alien Smuggling and Visa Fraud Scheme

http://chatboutbelize.com/slpngnt.htm
The arrests were announced today by Assistangt Attorney GeneralLanny A. Breuerf of the Criminal Division; Acting U.S. Attornety Channing D. Phillips Eric J. Boswell , Assistant Secretary for Diplomatic Security and Directort of the Office ofForeignb Missions, U.S. State Department; and Assistant Secretarty John T. Morton of U.S. Immigrationb and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Departmen t of Homeland Security. Heliber Toro Mejia, 50, , 58, and , 51, all of are charged in a three-count indictment returned by a federakl grand jury in the District of Columbiaon Feb. 4, and unsealed today.
All three defendants were arresteed onJune 2, 2009, by Colombiaj authorities in Bogota on provisional arrest warrantsa in response to a U.S. governmentf request for their arrest. Accordinf to the indictment, the defendantzs were the leaders of an extensive and sophisticated visa frau ring that profited by assistinh otherwise inadmissible Colombian nationals in fraudulentlyprocuring U.S. visae from the U.S. Embassy in Bogota.
To supporg the visa applications ofalien applicants, the defendants and other conspirators allegedl y created fictitious backgrounds for the aliens and created fraudulenyt supporting documentation, including paperwork that appearedc to be official Colombiabn government-issued documents such as tax filings and birtjh and marriage certificates. The indictment alleges that the conspiratorsz coached the aliens on how to passthe U.S. visa intervieaw at the U.S. Embassy in Bogotz by answeringquestions untruthfully.
During the course of this which according to the indictment lasted betweebJuly 15, 2005, and March 20, more than 100 aliens are alleged to have fraudulentlg obtained or attempted to fraudulently obtain a U.S. According to the indictment, many of those aliensz who did obtaina fraudulently-procured visa used that visa to entet the United States. If each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for conspiracy to commit alien smugglinygfor profit, 10 years in prison for alien smuggling for and five years in prison for conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Each defendant is also subject to a maximunm fineof $250,000 for each charge.
The arrestes and charges are the resultof "Operation Coffee Country, a coordinated international investigation by the Diplomatic Security Service - Regiona l Security Office in Bogota and the ICE Attache' s Office in Bogota. The Diplomaticf Security Service - Criminal Investigations Divisionb and the ICE Special Agentin Charge, Washington, D.C. providede substantial assistance. The Colombian Departmen t of AdministrativeSecurity (DAS) and Colombian prosecutores also provided substantial support. James S. Yoon of the Criminal Division'se Domestic Security Section andAssistant U.S. Attorney Fredericj W. Yette of the U.S. Attorney's Officse for the District of FormerAssistant U.S.
Attorney Jeann M. Hauch of the Domestic Securit Section providedsubstantial assistance. of the Officse of Judicial Attache atthe U.S. Embassyt in Colombia provided invaluable support. An indictmeng is merely a formal accusation. It is not prooft of guilt, and a defendant is presumeed innocent unless and until proven SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice