CONTACT: Barbara Burns
PHONE: (716) 843-5817
FAX #: (716) 551-3051
BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Edwin Ramirez-Cordones a/k/a El Fuerte, 46, of Ontario Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. Vilardo to bringing an alien to the United States at a place other than a designated port of entry, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in May 2019, while in Ontario, Canada, Ramirez-Cordones launched a boat into the Niagara River with two individuals on board that he knew were not citizens or nationals of the United States: Leonardo Jiminez-De La Rosa and Rita Leida Montes Farfan. Ramirez-Cordones navigated the boat across the Niagara River to the United States, and landed at a dock in Lewiston, NY, although he knew the dock was not a designated port of entry. After the aliens disembarked from the boat at the dock, Ramirez-Cordones returned to Ontario, Canada. Ramirez-Cordones was to be paid $8,500 for bringing the aliens to the United States.
The plea is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 19, 2023, before Judge Vilardo.