The final defendant in a case involving the harboring of individuals arriving unlawfully in Puerto Rico from the Dominican Republic has been sentenced. Iris J. Nieves-Ríos received a 24-month prison sentence along with five years of supervised release.
The case involved three defendants: Katia Janette Nieves, Junior Melo, and Iris J. Nieves-Ríos. They coordinated the pickup of at least 50 individuals who arrived by boat on the west side of Puerto Rico in August 2023. Despite knowing these individuals were not lawfully present in the United States, they transported them to a residence in San Juan and demanded money from their family members for their release.
Junior Melo was sentenced on December 16, 2024, to 72 months in prison and five years of supervised release. Katia Janette Nieves received an identical sentence on January 15, 2025.
U.S. Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow and Joseph González, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI San Juan Field Office, announced the sentences.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Bureau. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daynelle Álvarez-Lora and Linet Suárez.
