A Guatemalan man living unlawfully in the United States and previously convicted of sexual battery has pleaded guilty in federal court in Cleveland to charges related to encouraging a minor to enter the country illegally and submitting false information to obtain custody of the child.
According to court documents, 26-year-old Juan Tiul Xi assisted a 14-year-old Guatemalan girl in entering the United States without authorization. With her family's consent, Tiul Xi helped arrange for funds to pay a smuggler, or "coyote," who transported the child into the country. He instructed her to use his minor sister’s name and birth certificate when crossing the border, allowing him to claim on official documents that he was her brother. These misrepresentations were included in a sponsorship application submitted under penalty of perjury to the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR). Based on this application, ORR released custody of the child to Tiul Xi in September 2023.
Tiul Xi was indicted on April 17, 2025, and has now pleaded guilty to all counts: one count of encouraging or inducing illegal entry for financial gain, one count of making a false statement, and one count of aggravated identity theft. He faces up to ten years in prison for encouraging illegal entry, up to five years for making a false statement, and a mandatory two-year sentence for aggravated identity theft. Sentencing is scheduled for March 19, 2026.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Matthew R. Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said: “This defendant directed a 14-year-old child to commit criminal conduct and then obtained custody of the child by defrauding a government program intended to help vulnerable children. Through Joint Task Force Alpha, the Criminal Division is fully committed to prosecuting those who take advantage of children and lie to undermine the integrity of government programs. We will strive to end the exploitation of these children and stop the manipulation of government programs by fraudsters, smugglers, and others engaged in serious criminal conduct.”
U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio stated: “Mr. Tiul Xi engaged in layers of deception. Committing one federal crime after another, he showed no regard or respect for this girl’s human dignity. We greatly appreciate the dedication of the investigative teams with Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Cleveland FBI, to protect minors from being victimized by the likes of these ruthless individuals.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), FBI Cleveland field offices, HSI’s Attaché team in Guatemala, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington D.C., and ORR.
Prosecution is being handled by Acting Deputy Chief Christian Levesque from the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section; Joint Task Force Alpha detailee/Trial Attorney Spencer M. Perry from the Fraud Section; Assistant U.S. Attorney/Senior Litigation Counsel Carol Skutnik; Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael L. Collyer from Northern District of Ohio; with assistance from HRSP Analyst/Latin America Specialist Joanna Crandall.
Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA) coordinated this investigation as part of its mission targeting high-impact human smuggling and trafficking crimes involving cartels and transnational criminal organizations across North America and beyond. JTFA combines resources from both the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security, focusing on leaders involved in smuggling operations throughout regions including Mexico, Central America’s Northern Triangle countries—Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras—as well as Canada and other areas impacting U.S. border security.
To date JTFA has contributed significantly toward law enforcement efforts against human smuggling networks—resulting in over 425 arrests domestically or internationally involving leaders or key facilitators; more than 375 convictions within U.S courts; over 325 significant jail sentences; along with substantial asset forfeitures.
Sentencing for Tiul Xi will be determined by a federal district judge considering sentencing guidelines alongside statutory factors.
