Miami-Dade Resident Convicted of Alien Smuggling Involving Death

Jeffrey H. Sloman, Acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations in Miami, announced yesterday’s conviction of Carlos Manuel Reyes, 38, of Miami-Dade, for alien smuggling related charges including one count involving the death of a 6-year old child. The conviction came following a criminal trial in Key West, Florida.

The investigation originated in the interdiction of a 33-foot go-fast by the United States Coast Guard cutter Dauntless on October 13, 2005 at approximately 12:30 a.m. The boat was traveling north at a high rate of speed and loaded with 31 people. Onboard the boat, were the boat’s operators and 31 Cuban nationals. As the Coast Guard pursued the go-fast, it capsized and a 6-year old boy became trapped underneath the boat and drowned.

At a two-day trial, the government presented evidence which revealed that Reyes had a part in organizing the smuggling trip. While planning to load 29 Cuban nationals on the 33-foot boat piloted by co-conspirators Gil-Rodriguez and Taboada-Cabrera, Reyes coordinated the rendezvous in Cuba and outfitted the boat. The jury returned a verdict finding that Reyes had smuggled the 29 Cuban nationals and that the smuggling resulted in the death of the 6-year old child. As a result of an investigation by ICE special agents, Reyes was arrested on July 9, 2009.

On November 2, 2005, co-conspirators Gil-Rodriguez and Taboada-Cabrera pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit alien smuggling. On March 20, 2006, they each subsequently received a sentence of 10 years. Reyes is scheduled to be sentenced on January 19, 2010 at 9:00 a.m. before United States District Court Judge K. Michael Moore, in Key West. He is facing a term of up to life imprisonment.

Mr. Sloman commended the investigative efforts of ICE’s Office of Investigations with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS). This case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jaime Raich.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls.  Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.