El Paso Standard

A Texas woman faces charges for allegedly attempting to smuggle two minors into the United States. This follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in collaboration with the U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector.

Jovanna Netzay Diaz, 31, from Dallas, has been charged with conspiring to transport, attempting to transport, and transporting two illegal alien minors for financial gain. She is set to make her initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver in Dallas and will subsequently appear in Laredo federal court.

The indictment against Diaz was issued by a federal grand jury on February 19 and unsealed following her arrest on February 27.

Court documents reveal that on October 26, 2024, Diaz was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Laredo. During the inspection, authorities reportedly noticed movement under a blanket between the second and third row of seats in her vehicle. Law enforcement officers discovered one minor under the blanket and another hidden on the floorboard of the front passenger seat. The children were identified as nine-year-old twins from Mexico with no familial ties to Diaz.

If found guilty, Diaz could face up to 10 years in federal prison along with a maximum fine of $250,000.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Lopez from the Southern District of Texas is handling the prosecution.

It should be noted that an indictment is merely an accusation of criminal activity and not proof of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent unless proven otherwise through due legal processes.