Mayor Mamdani Signs Landmark COPA Legislation, Giving Community Groups First Chance to Preserve Affordable Housing

 

Community Opportunity to Purchase Act will give qualified nonprofits and community groups the first opportunity to buy distressed and affordable multifamily buildings, protecting tenants and strengthening neighborhood stability  

Today, Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani signed the Community Opportunity to Purchase Act (COPA), landmark legislation that will give qualified nonprofits and community groups the first opportunity to purchase certain multifamily buildings before they hit the private market.

Sponsored by Council Member Sandy Nurse, COPA gives mission-driven affordable housing providers 145 days to make an offer on eligible properties, along with an additional year during which they can exercise a right of first refusal to match another buyer’s offer. The legislation creates a powerful new tool to preserve affordable housing, protect tenants and prevent buildings from falling into a cycle of disrepair and profit-driven neglect.

“Too many New Yorkers have watched their homes deteriorate while landlords extract profits and tenants are left to fight for the repairs they deserve. That’s not how housing should work. Our homes should be places of stability, not vehicles for speculation. COPA puts power in the hands of the community organizations that have spent years serving our neighborhoods and fighting to keep New Yorkers housed. After six years of organizing, tenants and advocates have won a new tool to protect their homes and keep affordable housing in the hands of those who will care for it,” said Mayor Mamdani. “This is what it looks like to build a more affordable city where every New Yorker can live with stability and dignity.”

“COPA will be a valuable part of our work to preserve and invest in affordable housing across the five boroughs. This is an important tool to ensure buildings at risk are managed by people with a stake in their long-term success,” said Leila Bozorg, Deputy Mayor for Housing and Planning. “Congratulations to Council Member Nurse and her colleagues, tenants, and organizers who have fought for years to celebrate this day!”

“With COPA signed into law, we are entering a new era for affordable housing in New York City: one where organizations rooted in our communities are able to step in and preserve the affordable housing that New Yorkers rely on. Thanks to six years of advocacy by Council Member Nurse, the Progressive Caucus, NYCCLI, and tenants and organizers across the city, we have a powerful new tool in our work to create a fairer, more affordable city,” said Cea Weaver, Director of the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants.

“This new law will gate against speculative investment in both distressed and expiring affordable housing by providing not-for-profit housing providers a first opportunity to purchase. This is a great tool to end the cycle of tenants experiencing worsening conditions as their buildings go from one bad landlord to the next. We look forward to implementing COPA and helping keep more New Yorkers in safe, stable housing,” said Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) Commissioner Dina Levy.

Under COPA, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) will maintain a list of “qualified entities,” vetted nonprofits, tenant groups, community land trusts and other mission-driven organizations with demonstrated experience acquiring, preserving and managing affordable housing. These organizations must also demonstrate the financial and organizational capacity to purchase and operate eligible properties.

When a covered building is put up for sale, qualified entities will receive an exclusive 145-day window to complete the purchase. If the qualified entity’s offer is rejected and another buyer subsequently makes an offer within the following year, qualified entities will have the right of first refusal to match it.

Covered properties include multifamily buildings with four or more units that are in significant disrepair, as well as buildings with affordability restrictions governed by HPD regulatory agreements. By creating a pathway for responsible community-based ownership, COPA will ensure that these properties are repaired, maintained and operated in partnership with tenants rather than left to deteriorate by negligent owners.

Today’s signing marks the culmination of six years of advocacy by Council Member Nurse, tenants and community organizations. Former Mayor Eric Adams vetoed an earlier version of COPA in December 2025. The Mamdani administration subsequently made the legislation a priority in its Block by Block housing plan, released in May 2026. The City Council passed the bill in October 2026.

With the legislation now signed, HPD will begin implementation, including establishing the qualified entities list and creating a process to notify eligible organizations when covered buildings are put up for sale.

COPA is a part of the Mamdani administration’s broader effort to make New York City more affordable by creating new housing, preserving affordable homes and giving tenants greater power to remain in their communities. The administration’s Block by Block housing plan set unprecedented goals of building 200,000 new affordable homes and preserving 200,000 more over the next decade. In its first budget, the administration committed a historic $22 billion in affordable housing capital over five years.

That investment is part of a comprehensive housing agenda that also includes an ambitious land use strategy, stronger support for organized tenants, new tools to crack down on negligent landlords, renewed investment in public housing and streamlined processes to build and lease affordable housing at the speed that New Yorkers need. Together, these efforts reflect a fundamental commitment to building a city where working people can afford to stay, neighborhoods can shape their own futures and housing serves the people who call New York City home.

Attorney General James Releases Guidance on New York’s Shield Law

 

New Resource Outlines Who the Law Protects and What to Do if Asked for Information About Reproductive or Gender-Affirming Health Care

New York Attorney General Letitia James released guidance outlining New York’s Shield Law protections for people who receive, provide, or help others access abortion and gender-affirming care. The guidance explains what New Yorkers must do if asked for information about protected care, when information can be legally shared, and how New York protects people from improper attempts to investigate or punish that care. The plain-language resource is for patients, families, health care providers, attorneys, businesses, and anyone else who may receive a subpoena or other request for information about legally protected health care.

“New York has some of the strongest protections in the country for reproductive and gender-affirming health care, and we want to make sure people know how to use them,” said Attorney General James. “This guidance gives New Yorkers a clear roadmap for protecting their private health information and standing up to unlawful attempts to reach across our state’s borders. My office will always defend New Yorkers’ right to make personal health care decisions free from interference.”

New York’s original Shield Law, passed in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson, bars government entities from helping out-of-state efforts to penalize protected health care. In December 2025, Governor Hochul signed Shield Law 2.0, which extends protections to more providers, including therapists, speech pathologists, and other mental health practitioners. It also establishes processes governing the disclosure of protected health information. The guidance released today explains these new protections.

Who and what does the Shield Law protect?

The Shield Law covers a broad range of reproductive and gender-affirming health care that is legal in New York. The law protects people who receive, provide, and assist with it. That includes patients and their families, doctors, nurses, therapists and other health care professionals, clinic staff, and volunteers. It also includes people who help someone get to an appointment or pay for care, insurers, and attorneys who represent or advise patients and providers.

Under the Shield Law, patients and people managing their own care are protected wherever they are. Health care professionals and those helping patients are generally protected when they are physically in New York while providing care. The protections extend to telehealth, including medication abortion provided by a physician in New York.

Can protected health care be punished in New York?

No. State officials, law enforcement, and courts cannot enforce subpoenas, warrants, or extradition requests – or cooperate with any investigations or information requests – that seek to punish protected health care. New York courts cannot consider evidence that someone received or provided protected care as evidence against them, and parents and guardians cannot be punished for allowing their children to receive protected care.

Licensing boards cannot discipline providers for offering protected care or attorneys for representing people who provide or receive it. Professional-liability insurers cannot penalize medical professionals for providing protected care, including by raising rates or refusing to issue policies.

What does the Shield Law require New Yorkers to do if asked for covered information?

The Shield Law prohibits New Yorkers and New York companies from immediately handing over protected health information in response to a subpoena, investigative demand, or other request. Anyone who receives such a request must first:

• Confirm whether the request is about legally protected care or health information covered by the Shield Law;
• Get a sworn statement from the requestor affirming that the information will not be used to punish someone for legally protected health care;
• Notify the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and make a reasonable effort to notify anyone whose information would be included; and
• Wait 30 calendar days after notification before turning over any information.

These steps alert people when someone is seeking their sensitive health information and give OAG an opportunity to determine whether disclosure is allowed under New York law. The guidance includes concrete examples of information that is and is not covered, along with tools to get more information from the requestor and meet the OAG notification requirement.

Are there any exceptions to the Shield Law’s disclosure requirements?

Yes. The Shield Law does not stop people from accessing their own health records or providers from accessing patient information for billing or treatment. A person or entity being investigated or prosecuted for providing protected care can request information needed for their defense, as long as they provide the required sworn statement. Exceptions also apply to certain government audits and grant-reporting requirements.

Importantly, the Shield Law does not prevent investigations into conduct that would itself violate New York law. If the request concerns protected health care, however, the recipient generally must still follow the notice and waiting-period requirements, unless another exception applies or a valid court order changes them.

Can people get in trouble for adhering to Shield Law requirements?

New Yorkers who follow these requirements are protected. A person or organization generally cannot be punished or held in contempt for delaying a response while complying with the Shield Law. Anyone who receives a covered request can also challenge it in court.

What happens if someone does not take the required disclosure steps?

Anyone who ignores the required steps or improperly shares protected information can face a $10,000 penalty. Lying in a sworn statement to circumvent the Shield Law carries a $15,000 penalty. The OAG also has the authority to take enforcement action for violations of the law or false affirmations. People targeted for providing or receiving protected care also have the right to sue those who try to punish them and, in certain circumstances, recover their costs and legal fees.

The OAG encourages New Yorkers with questions about whether a subpoena or information request is covered by the Shield Law to read the guidance carefully. If the request is covered, they should notify OAG and upload relevant documents at www.ag.ny.gov/shield-law-notice. Questions about the guidance can be directed to shield.law@ag.ny.gov.

Justice Department Awards St. Louis more than $68M to Combat Violent Crime and Restore Law and Order Through Model Cities Initiative

 

St. Louis Was Selected Out of Nearly 50 American Cities to Receive Federal Funding to Strengthen Law Enforcement and Enhance Public Safety. 

The Justice Department awarded St. Louis, Missouri, more than $68 million through its Model Cities Initiative (MCI), a flagship effort to reduce violent crime, restore law and order, and strengthen public safety in communities across the country.   

 “The Model Cities Initiative reflects the Trump Administration’s commitment to reducing crime across the country and ensuring the safety of every American,” said Attorney General Todd Blanche. “These cities are setting an example of proactive law enforcement that will strengthen the rule of law and improve public safety in their jurisdictions. As violent crime rates continue to fall to historic lows, the Department of Justice is redoubling our efforts to invest in local communities and keep American families safe.”  

St. Louis was selected, in large part, because of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department's (SLMPD) significant progress in reducing violent crime through data-driven policing, innovative technology, and strong partnerships with federal law enforcement agencies. The department has reported year-to-date reductions of 21% in homicides, 25% in robberies, 14% in auto thefts, and 22% in juvenile shootings. Under the leadership of Police Commissioner Robert Tracy, SLMPD has expanded its use of advanced technologies, including gunshot detection systems and drones, to strengthen investigative capabilities, improve situational awareness, and enhance emergency response times.  

“All Missouri families deserve to feel safe in their communities, and strengthening public safety in St. Louis is critical to the success and prosperity of our entire state,” said Governor Mike Kehoe of Missouri. “We were proud to partner with the Trump Administration in securing this game-changing investment that will strengthen efforts to crack down on violent crime and support the brave men and women in law enforcement.” 

“I’m a proud St. Louisan, but for too long violent crime has tormented our communities and left families feeling unsafe,” said Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri. “As Missouri’s Attorney General and now as a U.S. Senator, I have spent my career fighting for a safer Missouri, and I am so proud that St. Louis was one of the four cities chosen as part of the Model Cities Initiative to support our law enforcement officers and serve as an example for the rest of the nation. We’ve gotten far too used to seeing violence in our city’s headlines, but that doesn’t have to be our reality. I am grateful that President Trump, Attorney General Blanche, and the entire Trump Administration are focused on fighting crime, and I look forward to our continued efforts to make life better — and safer — in the Show-Me State.”  

“This federal investment in public safety strengthens our hand in the fight against violent crime in St. Louis, and it supports the work of those who do that job every day,” said Missouri Attorney General Hanaway. “We stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the men and women of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, who carry the responsibility of placing themselves between our communities and harm with courage and resolve. “This public safety effort represents our unified commitment to hold violent offenders accountable, strengthen public confidence, and build a safer St. Louis for every family.”  

“The progress we’ve made in reducing violent crime belongs to our officers, our law enforcement partners and the St. Louis residents who work alongside us,” said St. Louis Metropolitan Police Chief Robert J. Tracy. “I’m grateful to Attorney General Todd Blanche and the Department of Justice for investing in that work. This funding will help us recruit and retain officers, give them better information when they respond to emergencies and equip detectives to solve more violent crimes. Our goal is to improve quality of life in every neighborhood and make St. Louis a safer city for all.” 

Check Awarded to St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Through the Model Cities Initiative, St. Louis aims to build on this momentum by further expanding its use of cutting-edge public safety technologies, strengthening officer recruitment and retention efforts, and enhancing coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Proposed investments include doubling the department's drone fleet, expanding gunshot detection coverage, modernizing its Real-Time Crime Center, and providing additional equipment and resources to frontline officers. Collectively, these efforts are intended to create a sustainable and replicable model for reducing violent crime, enhancing public safety, and improving the quality of life for St. Louis residents. 

The MCI takes a whole-of-city approach to public safety, bringing together law enforcement agencies, local government officials, and community partners to develop comprehensive strategies that address the unique public safety challenges facing their communities. The applications submitted by the four selected jurisdictions exemplified the innovative, forward-thinking approaches the Department sought through the initiative.   

While each jurisdiction faces unique public safety challenges and brings different priorities, resources, and starting points to the initiative, the Department is confident in the strength of their proposals and their commitment to achieving meaningful results. Despite differing approaches, all four jurisdictions demonstrated a shared determination to reduce violent crime and make their communities safer.   

Through the initiative, the Justice Department will work with each jurisdiction to finalize and implement its public safety plan. Funding will support a range of priorities, including hiring sworn and non-sworn law enforcement officers and other personnel to support enforcement, prosecution, and related public safety activities; adopting new and improved technology; purchasing or leasing equipment; enhancing forensic capabilities and capacity; and providing services to address mental health and substance use issues and reduce recidivism.  

The Justice Department announced the Model Cities Initiative in June 2026 to build on early successes in jurisdictions such as Memphis, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C., in reducing violence, crime, and disorder. The initiative directs nearly $300 million in federal resources toward comprehensive public safety strategies that strengthen law enforcement, improve coordination among public safety partners, and address the factors contributing to crime and recidivism.  

Through these investments, the Justice Department will work alongside local partners to implement sustainable public safety solutions and deliver measurable results. The four Model Cities will help advance the Administration’s efforts to reject the status quo of allowing crime and disorder to go unchecked and restore law, order, and safety to communities across the nation.  

Jacksonville, Florida; Jackson, Mississippi; and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have additionally been selected to receive federal investments supporting innovative, comprehensive, locally driven strategies to combat crime and enhance coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners.  

The specific departments funded are:  

• Baton Rouge - East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana;   
• Jackson - City of Jackson, Mississippi;   
• Jacksonville - City of Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office; and   
• St. Louis - St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.   

Finance Director Pleads Guilty To Insider Trading

 

Jesse Mitchell Admits to Illegal Trading Based on Material Nonpublic Information Obtained Through His Employment at The Trade Desk

United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Jamie McDonald, announced that JESSE MITCHELL, a former finance director at The Trade Desk (“TDD”), pled guilty to securities fraud in connection with an insider trading scheme in which MITCHELL traded on misappropriated material nonpublic information ahead of public earnings announcements by his then-employer, TTD.  As part of his plea, MITCHELL agreed to forfeit $338,058.56 in proceeds from his illegal scheme.  MITCHELL pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Jennifer H. Rearden.

“Jesse Mitchell misused his employer’s confidential information for his personal benefit,” said U.S. Attorney Jamie McDonald.  “As he has now admitted, Mitchell repeatedly traded in advance of TDD’s earnings announcements, pocketing hundreds of thousands of dollars in illicit profits.  As Mitchell’s conviction demonstrates, finance professionals should think again about misusing nonpublic material information—the risk isn’t worth the outcome.”

As alleged in the Indictment and other public filings in this case: 

Around June 2024, MITCHELL began working at TTD, a publicly-traded multinational technology company, as a Senior Director in TTD’s financial planning and analysis team.  In that role, MITCHELL had access to TTD’s confidential financial information and results, including revenue and earnings results and other financial metrics, before they were publicly disclosed.  By virtue of his employment, MITCHELL owed a duty of trust and confidence to TTD and was prohibited from misusing or disclosing TTD’s confidential information for personal gain.  MITCHELL was also prohibited by company policy from trading in any security while in possession of material nonpublic information relating to that security; trading in TTD securities during quarterly “blackout” periods preceding earnings announcements; and trading TTD options, including put or call options.

In August 2024, TTD published financial results for the second quarter of 2024 that exceeded its previously disclosed revenue estimate.  Following the announcement, TTD’s stock price increased approximately 12%.  During a trading blackout period in advance of TTD’s earnings announcement, MITCHELL purchased TTD stock.  At the time, MITCHELL was aware of TTD’s nonpublic quarterly financial results.  After TTD’s public earnings announcement, MITCHELL sold the shares, netting approximately $19,696.11 in profits from his illegal trading.

In February 2025, TTD published financial results for the fourth quarter of 2024 that fell below its previously disclosed revenue estimate.  This marked the first time TTD had missed revenue expectations since going public in 2016.  Following the announcement, TTD’s stock price dropped approximately 30%.  During a trading blackout period in advance of TTD’s earnings announcement, MITCHELL purchased TTD put options.  At the time, MITCHELL was aware of TTD’s nonpublic quarterly financial results.  After TTD’s public earnings announcement MITCHELL sold all his TTD put options, realizing approximately $318,362.45 in profits from his illegal trading.

MITCHELL, 48, of Ventura, California, pled guilty to one count of securities fraud under Title 15, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. 

The maximum potential sentence in this case is prescribed by Congress and provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the judge.  MITCHELL is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rearden on March 8, 2027.

Mr. McDonald praised the outstanding work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  Mr. McDonald also expressed appreciation for the assistance of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force.

Illegal Alien Pleads Guilty To Possessing Assault Rifle And Kilograms Of Fentanyl

 

A Dominican national unlawfully residing at the Quality Inn Hotel in Revere, Massachusetts pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to possessing over 4.5 kilograms of fentanyl and an assault rifle. 

Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl and one count of being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Jan. 7, 2027. Andujar Sanchez was arrested and charged in January 2025 and later indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2026.

Andujar Sanchez was residing in the Quality Inn in Revere. On Dec. 27, 2024, during a search of the room Andujar Sanchez was residing in, over 4.5 kilograms of fentanyl, an AR-style assault rifle, ammunition, three rifle magazines, digital scales and an abundance of latex gloves were located. Andujar Sanchez was immediately taken into state custody.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute more than 400 grams of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The defendant is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

United States Attorney Leah B. Foley; Jarod A. Forget, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Thomas A. Greco, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Revere Police Department.

NEW YORK STATE ANNOUNCES $2.4 MILLION FOR DIVERSION PROGRAMS SERVING NEW YORKERS WITH BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ISSUES

 

Funding to Help Providers Establish Community-Based Diversion Programs in Warren, Washington, Oneida, and Cayuga Counties

Program Allows Adults with Behavioral Health Issues to Divert from the Criminal Justice System into Treatment

The New York State Office of Mental Health announced that $2.4 million was awarded to help four counties divert individuals with behavioral health issues from the criminal justice system by connecting them with timely treatment and services. The funding will help three non-profit service providers offer community-based diversion programs in Warren, Washington, Oneida, and Cayuga counties, helping reduce strain on local courts, jails, and public safety departments.

“From our robust crisis services to ongoing funding for diversion programs, we are ensuring that individuals can receive services and support in appropriate, community-based settings while continuing on the path to recovery,” OMH Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said. “Thanks to Governor Kathy Hochul’s record investments in strengthening the entire spectrum of mental health services, we are better able to support individuals confronting mental health challenges that may put them at risk of an unnecessary involvement with the criminal justice system.”

OMH provided individual awards of $600,000 over three years to fund diversion programs operated by Helio Health in Oneida County and Nick’s Ride 4 Friends in Cayuga County. The agency also provided two grants totaling $1.2 million over three years to fund diversion programs operated by ASCEND Wellness in Washington and Warren counties.

Diversion programs help individuals with complex or chronic behavioral health issues connect with timely treatment and support, which improves outcomes, promotes effective uses of resources, and is better for community stability overall. The target population is individuals at least 18 years of age with complex or chronic behavioral health issues and who have at least one prior intersection with the criminal justice system.

The funding will help Helio Health hire two peer specialists to provide peer-aligned outreach to rural courts in Oneida County. The peer specialists will engage adults with mental illness at the earliest point in the court process to assist in making connections to mental health, substance use, and social determinants services.

Nick’s Ride 4 Friends will use the award to hire one part-time peer and two full-time peer specialists to explore early court diversion opportunities and provide rapid connections to services from arraignment through reentry. These peer specialists will target centralized arraignment courts and Cayuga County Jail to identify individuals who can benefit from rapid connection to services.

ASCEND Mental Wellness will use the funding to add outreach and peer specialists to enhance its Law Enforcement Addiction and Mental Health Referral System in Warren and Washington counties. This system allows referrals from community stakeholders and law enforcement to be processed quickly while intervention plans and service connections are coordinated.

OMH supports 13 jail diversion programs statewide, providing short-term crisis stabilization, care management services, discharge, and reentry planning for individuals leaving county jails, and supervised release services to assist individuals with mental health conditions released under probation supervision. These programs served roughly 3,000 individuals in 2025, helping divert 1,350 from incarceration or hospitalization.

In addition to diversion, OMH funds court-based mental health navigators to work with local systems to coordinate voluntary care for justice-involved individuals with mental health needs to support their health, wellness, and recovery. There are now 71 navigators funded across 40 counties. Court-based mental health navigators can be caseworkers, certified peer specialists, or licensed mental health professionals.  Connecting individuals with needed treatment as soon as possible can help reduce the number of individuals eventually found unfit to stand trial and in need of restoration services.

On top of $7.8 million for court-based mental health navigators, the FY 2025 Budget included $9.3 million in additional Judiciary funding to enhance and expand Mental Health Court services statewide, supporting 86 additional full-time workers in mental health courts.

14 Charged in Deadly Human Smuggling Scheme That Killed 7 Aliens Earlier This Year

Prosecution Is Part of Homeland Security Task Force Initiative 

A federal grand jury in the Western District of Texas returned a superseding indictment charging a total of 14 individuals, including seven illegal aliens, three non-citizens, and four U.S. citizens, for their roles in a conspiracy to smuggle aliens into the United States for profit. This included a failed human smuggling event that resulted in the deaths of seven people, including one child, who died after being loaded into a poorly ventilated shipping container.

“By allegedly orchestrating this deadly human smuggling scheme, these defendants showed no regard for the value of human life and put people in harm’s way to pad their own pockets,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Those who show a reckless disregard for the rule of law and treat human beings like cargo for their own financial gain will be held accountable under this administration. Cases like these are exactly why President Trump established the Homeland Security Task Force to strengthen our efforts to keep Americans safe from transnational crime.” 

“Seven people are dead as the result of another callous alien smuggling scheme,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “There have been multiple rail car alien smuggling interdictions over the last many months. Aliens found alive in those schemes will probably never realize how fortunate they are to have survived. To those who are placing their lives in the hands of dangerous alien smugglers, you must understand that there is no good outcome awaiting on this side of the border. Should you survive the journey, when we find you in the United States, you will be removed. To those alien smuggling organizations like the one responsible for these seven deaths, your date with American justice will come, and when it does, we will hold you accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

“This indictment reflects Homeland Security Investigation’s (HSI) commitment to pursuing the criminal networks that profit by treating human lives as cargo,” said Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco of HSI San Antonio. “As alleged, this smuggling network used cargo trains and sealed shipping containers to move people into the country’s interior, placing them in conditions that were inhumane and deadly. HSI and our law enforcement partners will continue to identify, investigate, and hold accountable those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit and endanger lives in the process.”

Defendants include Karina Garcia, 37, of Del Rio, Texas; Edson Alejandro Perez, 18, of Del Rio; Seferino Huerta-Casillas, 35, an illegal alien from Mexico; Jonas Ulloa-Aguilera, 25, an illegal alien from Honduras; Mayra Alejandra Huerta, 32, of Del Rio; Maria Norma Neri de Moran, 56, of Mexico; Damian Huerta Analucas, 55, of Mexico; Rosario Cristal Lopez-Saldana, 26, an illegal alien from Mexico; Eric Hernandez, 40, of Eagle Pass, Texas; Franklin Williams Ayala Aguilera, 30, an illegal alien from Honduras; Pascual Raymundo Loarca, 34, an illegal alien from Guatemala; Juan Alvaro Membreno-Contreras, 40, an illegal alien from Honduras; Yuri Julissa Cuaresma Paredes, 34, of Honduras; and Mavis Aleyda Escalante Peraza, 38, an illegal alien from Honduras. 

According to court documents, from at least April 2023 through May 12, 2026, the defendants and others operated a human smuggling organization that illegally used cargo trains to smuggle aliens further into the United States after smuggling them across the southern border from Mexico. Each smuggled alien, or their families and friends, paid smugglers in Honduras, Mexico, the United States, and elsewhere between $1,500 and $10,000. The organization was comprised of multiple smugglers who worked in concert with other groups of smugglers to accomplish their goals. This included coordinating and utilizing each other’s routes, guides, stash houses, and drivers. Once smuggled into the United States, aliens were often housed at stash houses or hidden in the brush along the Rio Grande River near Del Rio, Texas. The organization then loaded aliens into shipping containers to transport the aliens further into the interior of the United States. In February 2026, the organization began facilitating the smuggling of at least seven aliens, including one 14-year-old child from Honduras, into Del Rio. On or about May 9, after the smugglers illegally crossed the seven aliens from Mexico into the Del Rio area, the organization transported the aliens to an area near the Union Pacific train tracks in Del Rio. From approximately 1:18 p.m. to 1:25 p.m., while a Union Pacific train was stationary, smugglers, using red bolt cutters, allegedly cut the lock off a Conex shipping container’s door, loaded the aliens into the container, and then shut the door.

Red bolt cutters used to open the Conex shipping container’s door.

The shipping container was stacked on top of another and had no ventilation or cooling system. Based on the investigation, the recorded outside temperatures for that day ranged from 88 to 92 degrees Fahrenheit. It was secured from the outside and could not be opened from the inside. The train then departed Del Rio and traveled east along U.S. highway 90 to San Antonio. Once the train arrived in San Antonio, smugglers opened the door to the Conex container and discovered the aliens in peril. The smugglers then fled the scene, allegedly leaving one of the deceased near the railroad tracks. Smugglers left the remaining victims in the shipping container. The next day, the train departed south along its route to Laredo. 

On May 10, a worker at the Union Pacific Rail Yard in Laredo saw a leg sticking out from a Conex shipping container. Upon inspection, six people were discovered deceased in the shipping container. Laredo law enforcement contacted San Antonio agents for assistance. Later, San Antonio law enforcement discovered the seventh victim deceased and abandoned by the railroad tracks in San Antonio. Four of the deceased were Mexican nationals and three were Honduran nationals, including a 14-year-old child. The investigation revealed that at least one victim messaged a loved one, pleading for help.

Map depicting US-90 and the Union Pacific Railroad system from Del Rio to San Antonio.

Photo depicting broken seal from the Conex shipping container’s door.

Shipping container opened with deceased smuggled aliens inside.

A total of 14 defendants are charged with offenses relating to their involvement with this human smuggling organization. 11 of the defendants were indicted in July. The superseding indictment charges 12 defendants with conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and aiding and abetting the transportation of aliens resulting in death. If convicted, the defendants face a maximum penalty of life in prison. 11 defendants are charged with seven counts of aiding and abetting illegally bringing aliens to the United States. If convicted of at least three counts, they face a minimum penalty of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison. 12 defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to bring aliens to the United States causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Additionally, 11 defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering. If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

The case is being investigated by HSI Del Rio, U.S. Border Patrol, HSI Laredo, HSI San Antonio, HSI Monterrey Mexico, HSI Honduras, HSI Houston, HSI Dallas, HSI El Paso, and HSI’s Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C. HSI received substantial assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s National Targeting Center’s International Interdiction Task Force,  Texas Department of Public Safety, Bexar County Sheriff’s Office, Kendall County Sheriff’s Office, Seguin Police Department, San Antonio Police Department, U.S. Marshals, ATF, Union Pacific Railroad Police Department, and the Laredo Police Department. 

Trial Attorney Paige Petersen of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Spears, Todd Keagle, and Ashley Ellis-Dotson for the Western District of Texas are prosecuting the case.

This case is supported by JTFA, the U.S. Department of Justice’s lead effort in combating human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations throughout the Americas. In partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking networks that impact public safety and border security. Led by HRSP and supported by other Criminal Division components, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest border, Southern Florida, Northern New York, and Vermont. JTFA partners with U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS components, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, HSI, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Office of Field Operations. JTFA also partners with FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 486 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and trafficking; more than 447 U.S. convictions; and more than 374 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. HSTF comprises agents and officers from FBI; ICE HSI; DEA; ATF; U.S. Border Patrol; USMS; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Department of Transportation; IRS Criminal Investigation; Texas Department of Public Safety; as well as local police departments and sheriff’s offices, with the prosecution being led by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.