CLEVELAND, OH – A Guatemalan man unlawfully living in the United States has pleaded guilty in federal court to directing a 14-year-old girl to cross the border illegally and lying to U.S. authorities to gain custody of her.
Juan Tiul Xi, 26, admitted in Cleveland on Monday to charges of encouraging illegal entry, making false statements, and aggravated identity theft.
Federal prosecutors say Tiul Xi previously served time for sexual battery and later deceived government officials to take custody of the child by posing as her brother.
According to court records, Tiul Xi instructed the girl to enter the United States using the name and birth certificate of his younger sister. He then submitted a sponsorship application to the Office of Refugee Resettlement under penalty of perjury, falsely claiming to be the girl’s sibling. The agency approved his request, and the child was released to him in September 2023.
Fraud and illegal entry uncovered
Authorities said the girl’s family in Guatemala had agreed to the plan, borrowing money to pay a smuggler—known as a “coyote”—to bring her across the border. Tiul Xi’s deception allowed him to bypass government safeguards meant to protect unaccompanied minors.
He was indicted in April and pleaded guilty to all counts. Prosecutors say the offenses included encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, submitting a fraudulent statement, and aggravated identity theft.
Joint task force investigation
The case was handled by Joint Task Force Alpha, a Justice Department and Homeland Security initiative that targets major human smuggling and trafficking networks. The program, launched to combat transnational criminal organizations, has produced hundreds of arrests and convictions across the Americas.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti said Tiul Xi’s conduct “defrauded a government program intended to help vulnerable children,” while U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer praised investigators from Homeland Security Investigations, ICE, and the FBI for their work in protecting minors.
Sentencing set for March
Tiul Xi faces up to ten years in prison for the illegal entry charge, five years for the false-statement offense, and a mandatory two-year consecutive sentence for aggravated identity theft. A federal judge will impose the sentence on March 19 after reviewing federal guidelines and statutory factors.
Officials say the case reflects ongoing federal efforts to disrupt smuggling operations that exploit children and manipulate immigration systems for personal gain.
