Four individuals were charged on Mar. 18 in connection with an alleged alien smuggling operation that resulted in a high-speed pursuit off the coast of Miami-Dade County, according to federal authorities.
The charges stem from an incident where law enforcement intercepted a vessel carrying undocumented migrants toward the United States. The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal agencies to address maritime smuggling and illegal re-entry into the country.
According to court records, Theron Don Mills of The Bahamas, Oswaldo Sisa Heredia of Ecuador, and Joel Perez-Matos and Pablo Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez, both from the Dominican Republic, appeared in court after allegedly attempting to evade law enforcement while transporting multiple undocumented migrants. The vessel was first detected about 21 miles east of Miami-Dade County and later located two miles from shore by Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations just before midnight on March 11.
Authorities said that when they approached, the vessel fled despite lights and sirens being activated. Law enforcement discharged warning rounds before ultimately disabling the boat’s engine with additional rounds to bring it to a stop. Fifteen individuals were found onboard; all were transferred to a U.S. Coast Guard cutter for biometric screening and records checks.
The investigation revealed that Mills, Sisa Heredia, Perez-Matos, and Alvarez Rodriguez had previously been deported from the United States. All four are charged with illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Mills faces an additional charge for encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the U.S., which carries a potential sentence of up to five years if convicted; each defendant faces up to two years for illegal reentry charges. The remaining eleven migrants were repatriated to The Bahamas.
U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations announced the charges. HSI Miami is leading the investigation with assistance from CBP Air and Marine Operations and the U.S. Coast Guard.
Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case. Authorities remind that an indictment or complaint is only an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
Additional information can be found on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida website or through public access at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.gov under case number 26-mj-2508.
