Dominican Nationals Charged After 30 Migrants Left Stranded on Uninhabited Island

Federal authorities in Puerto Rico have filed criminal charges against three Dominican nationals accused of smuggling 39 undocumented migrants into the United States. The charges follow an incident earlier this month in which the suspects allegedly transported the migrants by sea, abandoning the majority on a remote island and continuing with the remainder to the mainland.

According to the criminal complaint, Melvin Diaz-Linas, Jose Antonio De Leon-Pache, and Mikilendy Espiritusanto-Martinez were apprehended after Border Patrol agents, in coordination with local law enforcement, intercepted their vessel near El Combate beach in Cabo Rojo. The suspects were found with nine migrants onboard, while 30 others had been left stranded on Mona Island, an uninhabited U.S. territory located west of Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Joseph Doyle responded to the Mona Island group, transferring the 30 individuals to Border Patrol agents at the port of entry in Mayagüez. All three suspects were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Marcos Lopez on March 21 and charged with multiple immigration-related offenses, including aiding and abetting alien smuggling, improper entry, and illegal reentry after removal.

The Ramey Sector Border Patrol, which oversees Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, noted the broader significance of dismantling such smuggling operations. With a jurisdiction covering 6,000 square miles of land and sea, including a 12-mile territorial water zone, the Sector plays a crucial role in maritime border enforcement. Officials emphasized the dangers involved in these crossings and their commitment to deterring future attempts through coordinated interdiction efforts.

All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Article by multiple RFHC contributors, based upon information from a press release issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection

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