Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Dallas woman has been charged with conspiring to transport, attempting to transport, and transporting two undocumented minors for financial gain, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jovanna Netzay Diaz, 31, is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver in Dallas at 10 a.m., followed by an appearance in Laredo federal court. A federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on February 19, which was unsealed upon her arrest on February 27.
The charges allege that on October 26, 2024, Diaz arrived at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Laredo. During the initial inspection, authorities reportedly noticed movement under a blanket between the second and third row of her vehicle. Law enforcement discovered one minor beneath the blanket and another concealed on the floorboard of the front passenger seat. The minors were identified as nine-year-old twins from Mexico with no familial ties to Diaz.
If convicted, Diaz could face up to ten years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Lopez is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that an indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct and not evidence of guilt. A defendant remains presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process.
