Two individuals have appeared in court on immigration-related charges, according to an announcement by U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. The accused, Kristin Louise Mitchell and Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, were arraigned this week in Great Falls.
Kristin Louise Mitchell, also known as Kristin Louise Short, aged 41 from Shelby, pled not guilty to charges of attempted harboring of illegal aliens. If the indictment leads to a conviction, Mitchell could face a prison sentence of five years, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, a 33-year-old from Honduras, also entered a plea of not guilty. He is charged with the re-entry of a removed alien. If convicted, he faces a potential two-year prison term, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release.
The arraignment was presided over by U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston. Mitchell was released under certain conditions, while Ponce-Lopez remains detained awaiting further proceedings.
According to the indictment, Mitchell allegedly attempted to harbor and conceal three illegal aliens near Shelby on March 4, 2025. Meanwhile, Ponce-Lopez is accused of re-entering the United States without the necessary authorization after being removed in August 2014, with the alleged incident occurring near Billings on February 21, 2025.
Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office are handling the case, with investigations carried out by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and Toole County Sheriff’s Office.
The charges are part of "Operation Take Back America," a Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations, including cartels.
Defendants in such cases are considered innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Details of this case can be tracked via the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. The reference for this specific case is 25-34. Those interested in monitoring the case can visit PACER's official site for account setup and access to related documents.
