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Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 1 of 7
M T IDAV IT IN SU PPO RT O F Cm M IN AL CO M PLAIN T

1, Crystal Becker, being duly sw orn, do depose and say:

INTRODUCTION AND AGENT BACKGROUND

I am employed as a Spqcial Agent with the United States Department of Homeland

Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (1CE), Homeland Secutity Investigations (HSl),

in Key W est, Florida, and have been so employed since July 2019. As an HS1 special agent, l am

responsible for investigating matters within the jurisdiction of the United States Department of

Homeland Security, including violations of the imm igration and custom s laws of the United States.

Prior to my employment with HSI, I was employed as a United States Border Patrol Agent from

2015 through 2019. 1 have com pleted the Crim inal Investigator Training Program , H Sl Special

Agent Training Program , and the Border Patrol A gent Basic Training Program at Federal Law

Enforcem ent Training Centers in G lynco, Georgia and A rtesia, N ew M exico. These academ ies

consisted of comprehensive training in multiple disciplines including proper investigative

techniques and the application and execution of search, arrest, and seizure w arrants for violations

of federal laws, including but not limited to violations of the Immigration and Nationality Act.

2. l subm it this A ffidavit in support of a crim inal com plaint against Reinaldo LOPEZ

HERNANDEZ because therç is probable cause to believe that he did encourage and induce aliens

to come to, enter, énd reside in the United States, knowingly and in reckless disregard of the fact

that such coming to, entry, and residence is and will be a violation of Title 8, United States Code,

Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iv) and (v)(II).

3. The statements containeci

knowledge gathered during m y palïicipation

1

experience, other State and Federal 1aw enforcement officers and agents, and upon facts and

in this Affidavit are based upon my own personal

in this investigation, m y previous training and

1

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 2 of 7
information from the following sources 1 believe to be reliable: oral and written reports pertaining

to this investigation which I received directly from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and

M arine Operatipn (AM O) Agents, interviews, and investigative database sources. Because this

Affidavit is being submitted for the liluited purpose of securing a criminal complaint, l have not

included each and every fact known to m; or other law enforcement ofticers or agents involved in

this investigatibn. 1 have set forth only the facts that l believe are necessary to establish probable

Cause.

PR OBABLE CA USE

. 

'

4. On or about October 18, 2022, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Air and

Marine Operations (AMO) contacted Homeland Security lnvestigations (HSl) regarding the

interdiction of a center console vessel (SUSPECT VESSEL). AM O first obselwed the SUSPECT

VESSEL via aircraft in international waters on October l7, 2022, heading southbound away from

Florida with two individuals at the helm. After tracking the vessel for approximately four hours,

AM 0 aircraft had to return for fuel. A M O observed the SU PSECT VESSEL via aircraft again on

October 18, 2022, in the vicinity of Anguilla Cay, Bahamas traveling towards the U.S. AM O

stopped the SUSPECT VESSEL at approximately seven (7) nautical miles off the coast of Ocean

Reef, Florida in U .S. waters. The SU SPECT VESSEL w as boarded and searched.

5. Upon boarding the SUSPECT VESSEL, AM O identified the boat operator as

LOPEZ HERN AN DEZ, a U .S. Lawful Perm anent Resident qnd A .R ., a Cuban national. There

were eighteen (1 8) additional persons on board the SUPECT VESSEL. Records checks of

imrpigration databases revealed the eighteen (1 8) passengers and A.R. on the SUSPECT VESSEL

were Cuban nationals w ho did not have legal status in the United States. Further, none of them

2

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 3 of 7
had law ful perm ission to enter, transit through, or reside in the United States on or about O ctober

l8, 2022.

Records checks of Driver and Vehicle Information Database ((bAVID'') identifed

the SUSPECT VESSEL as United States tlagged, Hul I i d tification Number (Hl& en

AGC50015B898, and was a 1998 Baja center console, 28' in length, with two (2) Yamaha 350

horsepower outboard motors. The SUSPECT VESSEL had contained one (1) GPS unit (affixed to

the center console) that had been removed from the mount, miscellaneous food items and several

6.

beverages located inside a cooler.

A1l twenty (20) individuals were transferred onto 1aw enforcement vessels and

transported to a United Sutes C, oast Guard (USCG) Cutter.

On or about October 24, 2022, LOPEZ HERN AN DEZ w as brought ashore and

interview ed by Iaw enforcem ent. LOPEZ HERNAN DEZ w as read his M iranda warnings and he

w aived them in w riting. LOPEZ HERNAN DEZ adm itted to picking up Cuban N ationals in

Anguilla Cay, Bahamas in order to bring them into the United States and stated he knew it was

. 

'

illegal to do so. LOPEZ HERNANDEZ stated A.R. had removed and jettisoned the affixed GPS

navigational unit from the vessel because he did not want law enforcem ent to obsel've the waypoint

tracks contained on the unit. Further, LOPEZ HERNANDEZ adm itted that he and A.R. departed

from Florida to pick up his family m embers who had departed from Cuba to bring them into the

U.S. LOPEZ HERNANDEZ stated lhat he knew there would be additional Cubans with his family

. 

'

m em bers.

Anguilla Cay, Baham as is an area lcnow n for m igrant sm uggling pickups that erïd

up arriving in the upper Florida Keys.

3

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 4 of 7
10 . Bqsed on: the' fbfNéping fàcjs. your Affiaqt submitsk ili4te' iài probable' càusvttlïat.tm

or abogt Ottober 1:8, 2027., LUPYZ HERNANDEZ, did knpwiùglf' Arjd: wllllklly, eùpbut'ag: arîd

. 

' v

ihèppelrpliàns' .4p '4:m4 toizttjfér.. apdlyesidà iù thhi. Urti,tèdts.tAtqs, kàow ihgvanit rrcklèss,dikregardaof '

the fàkt. that :suchlcomipgt toj e, nttywraljd' rrçjid' Erze lvtmdtwèklrd bt .1fl kithlàtibù: èf 'làis,ih viblàtion # 

.

of Titlo % Uiiitè' d Statkx-tt qd, :. Xeqiop, 1.!14(ià). ( l )(>A,)(.)4)i qq'd. (.4.)4.121);

PIJRTHEA AFFIANT' SAYETH NAUGHT. :

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HOMELAND SZCUXIYY IN VtS,f-lG', AIt'I4X' ,$ . . .

X'tt. dstéd to.by' , tfkiapplicunt ity écùofdxnce

w 1 i h theE/eqpit#lùepts.efeFéd. .1, 'Ciifn. P'; 4..1 . r .... . : ' r 

by FàvsTimé'tliiue, z/ckrsdàj of 0. ctober 2422:. :

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, . U NITED STATES. M y G j $ T, j$S Ts $ J j 'U D. G F s.

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 5 of 7
UNITED STATES DISTRICT CO URT

SO UTH ERN D ISTRICT O F FLOR IDA

case No. pp -so /'',-s-gJ&/J

UNITED STATES OF AM ERICA

V.

REINALDO LOPEZ HERNANDEA

Defendant.

CRIM INXL covEu SIIEET

Did this matter originate from a matter pending in the Northern Region of the United States

Attorney's Office prior to Augu' st 9, 2013 (M ag. Judge Alicia Valle)? - - xes X No

2. Did this matter originate from a matter pending in the Central Regiön of the United States

Attorney's OY ce prior to August 8, 2014 (Mag. Judge Shaniek M aynard)? --xes X No

Respectftllly subm itted,

JJUAN AN TONIO GON ZALEZ

U NITED STA TES A TTO RN EY

By : ) . .

. SSICA J. AY ER

Special Assistant United States Attorney

Court ID N o. A 5502916

99 N .E. 4th Street

M iami, FL 33132

Tel. No. (305) 510-8179

Fax No. (305) 536-4676

E-mail: Jessica.Ayer@usdoj.gov

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 6 of 7
U N IT ED STA T ES D ISTR IC T C O U R T

SO U TH ERN DISTRICT O F FLO IU D A

CASE NUM BER:

BOND RECOM M ENDATION

DEFENDANT: REINALDO LO PEZ HERNANDEZ

PTD

(Personal Surety) (Corporate Surety) (Cash) (Pre-Trial ljetentièn)

By: Jz4 .

SAUSA: J ssica Ay r

Last Known Address: BP M arathon

W hat Facility:

Agentts): S/A Crystal Becker

(FBI) (SECRET SERVICE) (DEA) (IRS) (1CE) (OTHERI

HSI

Case 4:22-cr-10021-RKA Document 1 Entered on FLSD Docket 10/26/2022 Page 7 of 7