Grand jury indicts illegal Guatemalan man for allegedly escorting unaccompanied minor into US: DOJ

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted an illegal Guatemalan migrant for allegedly helping to smuggle an unaccompanied minor into the United States, the Justice Department (DOJ) said Friday.

The indictment claimed that 26-year-old Juan Tiul Xi, who has been living in Cleveland, Ohio, allegedly encouraged and persuaded a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl to illegally enter the U.S. and pose as his sister. He even allegedly submitted fraudulent paperwork to confirm the story, when applying for custody of the teen and to be her sponsor. 

Tiul Xi has been charged with one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft, per the DOJ.

“The prior administration’s border policies created an environment that enabled human trafficking and allowed bad actors to take advantage of at-risk children,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. “We are committed to protecting children from the scourge of human trafficking and will not rest until we deliver justice for those who suffered during the border crisis.”

If convicted, Tiul Xi faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison on the illegal entry count, a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count, and a mandatory consecutive penalty of two years in prison on the aggravated identity theft count.

“This case is a testament to ICE’s commitment to hold predators accountable for the harm they inflict on children,” Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons said. “We are making every effort to ensure the safety of children released to sponsors across the United States."

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.