Hayden O’Byrne United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida | The Florida Bar
A federal judge in Miami has sentenced Cuban national Rafael Rodriguez Hernandez to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in an alien smuggling operation. Hernandez had previously admitted to the charges in January.
The incident occurred on September 29, 2024, when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers, as part of an air and maritime operation, stopped Hernandez's vessel carrying 27 individuals from the Bahamas to the United States. Hernandez was found transporting these individuals without proper authorization.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirmed that all individuals aboard, excluding Hernandez, were undocumented migrants. Notably, five of these were Ecuadorian nationals who had been previously deported from the United States. Hernandez and the Ecuadorians were taken to shore to face charges, while the remaining individuals were sent back to the Bahamas.
The sentencing announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Hayden O’Byrne for the Southern District of Florida and Acting Special Agent in Charge Jose R. Figueroa of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami Field Office.
The case was investigated by HSI Miami, with support from CBP and the U.S. Coast Guard, 7th Coast Guard District. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner Stiehl is overseeing the prosecution.
Further details and court documents can be found on the District Court for the Southern District of Florida's website or through their case management system, under case number 24-cr-20458.
