Patricia D. McGurk-Daniel, Chief Agent of the San Diego Border Patrol, recently disclosed via social media that a Mexican citizen has been sentenced to prison for sexually abusing a 17-year-old unaccompanied minor. The offender and his brother reportedly guided the victim from Tijuana, Mexico into the United States in June 2022.
"Thanks to hard-working agents, Cecilio Jimenez-Bautista, who admitted to sexually assaulting a 17 y/o migrant, was sentenced to 64 months in prison for alien smuggling. We will continue to work tirelessly to hold accountable those who would violate the laws of our country," said D. McGurk-Daniel, according to X.
According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office Southern District of California, Cecilio Yonatan Jimenez-Bautista entered into a plea agreement where he confessed to smuggling at least 25 individuals from Mexico into America, charging between $5,000 and $9,500 per migrant. The indictment revealed that over three days, Jimenez-Bautista repeatedly isolated the minor from the group and sexually abused her. He then leveraged her fear of him to coerce her into sexual activity with him, causing her significant physical harm. Both brothers are now facing charges related to their roles as guides for an alien smuggling organization operating from June 2022 to February 2023.
U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath commented on the case stating: "The defendant had no regard for this child’s humanity." She further added that "the brutal victimization of a 17-year-old minor is yet another example of the cruelty of smugglers who care only about profit."
Chad Plantz, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Diego also remarked on the situation saying: "This guilty plea is a reminder of what the combined effort of law enforcement can accomplish." Plantz emphasized that "HSI special agents remain vigilant to investigate violent human smugglers capable of such revolting actions in the course of circumventing our country’s immigration laws."
McGurk-Daniel reiterated their commitment to justice stating: "We continue to work with our local, state and federal partners to deliver consequences to those nefarious characters who wish to inflict harm in our communities." She stressed that the Border Patrol has "zero tolerance for these types of actions, and we will do everything in our power to bring those responsible to justice."
