Four Illegal Aliens Charged in Connection with Alien Smuggling Interdiction off the Coast of Miami-Dade County

MIAMI - Four illegal aliens were charged by federal complaint for their roles in an alien smuggling venture that led to a high-speed maritime pursuit off the coast of Miami-Dade County, during which law enforcement was forced to disable the vessel to stop it.

According to court records, Theron Don Mills, 26, of The Bahamas; Oswaldo Sisa Heredia, 39, of Ecuador; and Joel Perez-Matos, 41, and Pablo Antonio Alvarez Rodriguez, 33, both of the Dominican Republic, made their initial appearance on Monday after attempting to evade law enforcement in a vessel carrying multiple undocumented migrants heading towards the U.S.

The suspect vessel, operated by Mills, was initially detected approximately 21 miles east of Miami-Dade County and traveling west toward shore. On March 11, just before midnight, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and Marine Operations (AMO) law enforcement vessel located the boat approximately two miles from shore.

When law enforcement approached, the vessel fled. Despite law enforcement activating lights and sirens, the vessel continued to evade authorities. After the vessel failed to stop, agents first discharged warning rounds. When that did not work, disabling rounds were discharged into the engine, ultimately bringing the vessel to a halt.

Law enforcement identified 15 aliens onboard the small center-console vessel. All were transferred to the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Cutter WILLIAM FORES for biometric screening and records checks.

Those checks revealed that Mills, Sisa Heredia, Perez-Matos, and Alvarez Rodriguez had previously been deported from the U.S.

All four Defendants are charged with illegal re-entry of a deported alien. Mills is also charged with encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the U.S., based on his role as the vessel's operator. If convicted, Mills faces up to five years in prison on the inducement charge, and each defendant faces up to two years in prison on the illegal reentry charges.

The remaining 11 aliens were not charged and 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 (HSI), Miami Field Office, made the announcement.

HSI Miami is investigating the case, with assistance from CBP AMO and the USCG.

Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is prosecuting the case.

An indictment/complaint is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.sdfl.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. or at http://pacer.sdfl.uscourts.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link., under case number 26-mj-2508.

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