A federal grand jury in New Orleans has indicted eight people for their involvement in an international scheme to smuggle 24 undocumented individuals from Honduras into Louisiana.
The Department of Justice says the individuals planned to smuggle the people aboard a boat owned by one of the indicted defendants. Prosecutors say they also planned to smuggle cocaine into the state. The U.S. Coast Guard boat stopped the vessel off the coast of Grand Isle in February.
According to a DOJ court document, Carl Allison, 46, of Irwin, Pennsylvania, and Lindomar De La Rosa, aka Dr. Diablo, 37, of Atlanta, were arrested on Tuesday.
Co-defendants Josue Alexander Flores-Villeda, 35, Darrel Martinez, 40, and Lenard Cooper, 39, are in custody on separate warrants.
Co-defendants Rudy Jackson Hernandez, 35, and Hennessey Devon Cooper, 26, remain on bond. The final defendant, Lance Vroon, 39, remains at large. The eight individuals were charged with conspiring to bring illegal aliens to the United States for a “commercial advantage and private financial gain”.
Josue Alexander Flores-Villeda, 35, of Honduras, is additionally charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
According to the indictment, from on or about December 2021 until on or about Feb. 14, 2022,
Allison, De La Rosa, and the other defendants attempted to bring 24 undocumented persons from Honduras to the United States aboard a boat named “Pop,” owned by Allison says the DOJ.
If convicted of the human smuggling offenses, each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted of the drug conspiracy offense, Villeda faces between 10 years plus life in prison.
