Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
On March 4, 2025, a federal grand jury in Phoenix indicted Jorge Fontes-Garcia, a 25-year-old from Sonora, Mexico. He faces charges related to bringing illegal aliens into the United States through the Arizona desert, which resulted in one death.
The indictment includes four counts: Bringing an Illegal Alien to the United States Unlawfully Resulting in Death, Conspiracy to Bring Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, Bringing Illegal Aliens to the United States Unlawfully, and Reentry of Removed Alien. According to the indictment, on August 23, 2023, Fontes-Garcia acted as a guide for eight individuals crossing from Mexico into southern Arizona. U.S. Border Patrol apprehended seven of these individuals near Tacna, Arizona. The eighth individual was found deceased due to heat exposure.
If convicted of bringing illegal aliens resulting in death, Fontes-Garcia could face a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment and a fine up to $250,000. Convictions for conspiracy and bringing illegal aliens unlawfully carry penalties of up to 10 years imprisonment and similar fines. Reentry of a removed alien also carries up to 10 years imprisonment.
An indictment is not proof of guilt; it merely charges someone with criminal activity. Every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by evidence presented at trial.
This case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection's United States Border Patrol and is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Phoenix.
