Notorious Human Smuggler Sentenced: Phoenix Woman Faces Prison After Decades in the Trade

Notorious Human Smuggler Sentenced: Phoenix Woman Faces Prison After Decades in the Trade

Tonya Romero, Involved in Smuggling Since Age 16, Sentenced to 33 Months and Supervised Release

PHOENIX, Ariz. — A Phoenix woman with a long history in human smuggling has been sentenced to 33 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Tonya Durinda Romero, 37, pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens earlier this year and was sentenced on November 14, 2024, by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi.

Romero admitted to being part of a smuggling operation that transported undocumented noncitizens from southern Arizona to the Phoenix metro area. She played a key role by renting stash houses to harbor individuals and providing vehicles to others for transporting them further into the United States.

Her criminal activities came to light on January 30, 2024, when a Pinal County Sheriff’s deputy stopped her for driving with expired registration. Further investigation revealed Romero was also driving with a suspended license and no insurance. She was taken to the Casa Grande Border Patrol station, where she confessed to her involvement in human smuggling since the age of 16.


The case was investigated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa E. Jennis prosecuted the case.

Romero’s sentencing highlights law enforcement’s ongoing efforts to dismantle smuggling operations that exploit vulnerable individuals and undermine border security.