TUCSON, Ariz. – Mariana Garcia-Tapia, 32, of Tucson, has been sentenced to 60 months in prison for her role in a conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens for profit, which endangered lives. United States District Judge Scott H. Rash handed down the sentence last week.
In addition to her prison term, Garcia-Tapia received an additional 12 months for violating conditions of supervised release related to a separate case.
Incident Details
On February 2, 2024, near Naco, Arizona, a United States Border Patrol camera operator spotted four suspected undocumented noncitizens approaching a 2011 Volkswagen Routan. Border Patrol agents intercepted the vehicle, driven by co-defendant Sharnesia Latrice Cooley, with Garcia-Tapia as a passenger.
Shortly after, agents discovered four injured individuals along the roadside near the San Pedro Bridge. The injuries—ranging from serious head trauma to other significant wounds—were consistent with the victims having jumped from the moving vehicle in an attempt to evade detection.
The four individuals were hospitalized and later determined to be illegally present in the United States. One of the injured individuals confirmed they had paid to be smuggled into the country.
Legal Outcomes
Garcia-Tapia pleaded guilty on July 10, 2024, to charges of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person.
Her co-defendant, Sharnesia Latrice Cooley, was found guilty following a jury trial and is scheduled for sentencing on January 16, 2025, before Judge Rash.
Investigation and Prosecution
The case was investigated by Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alicia Renee Quezada and Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
This sentencing underscores the federal government’s commitment to prosecuting those who endanger lives through human smuggling operations.
