A Colombian national living in Quebec has been extradited to the United States and formally charged with three smuggling-related offenses after a pregnant Mexican woman died while attempting to illegally cross the US-Canada border in December 2023.
A Colombian man residing in Quebec has been extradited to the United States and formally charged in connection with the tragic death of a pregnant Mexican woman who attempted to cross the U.S.- Canada border illegally in December 2023. Jhader Augusto Uribe-Tobar, 36, faces three federal smuggling-related charges stemming from the death of 33-year-old Ana Karen Vasquez-Flores.
Vasquez-Flores's body was found in the Great Chazy River near Champlain, New York, on December 14, 2023, two days after her husband reported her missing to a border patrol agent. U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman stated that the incident underscores the inherent dangers of illegal migration and the exploitative practices of smugglers who prioritize profit over human safety. 'By vigorously prosecuting human smuggling networks, we aim to deter and reduce the number of dangerous crossings like the one that tragically took the lives of this young woman and her unborn child,' Freedman said in a news release. American authorities allege that Uribe-Tobar advertised his smuggling services on TikTok under a pseudonym and charged Vasquez-Flores and her husband US$2,500 to guide her across the border electronically. He allegedly instructed Vasquez-Flores to wade across the river, a claim contradicted by the perilous conditions of the icy river.Court documents filed by U.S. officials in Quebec Superior Court reveal that Vasquez-Flores's husband, Miguel Mojarro-Magna, communicated with Uribe-Tobar's TikTok account and was assured that the journey to the United States could take up to three hours. Uribe-Tobar pleaded not guilty to federal charges of alien smuggling and conspiracy to commit alien smuggling during his arraignment on Thursday. He remains detained pending trial. Federal public defender representing Uribe-Tobar declined to comment on the case to The Associated Press. Text messages presented in U.S. court filings illustrate the chilling sequence of events. Uribe-Tobar allegedly texted Vasquez-Flores's husband on the evening of December 11, 2023, confirming his wife's entry into the river. 'I'm very nervous,' the husband replied. Shortly after 7 p.m., he received a message stating, 'Bro, hello, I think she got wet or turned off her cellphone.' The husband subsequently alerted authorities to his wife's disappearance the following day. Uribe-Tobar was apprehended in late December 2023 in St-Hyacinthe, Quebec. A Quebec Superior Court judge ordered his surrender for extradition in May, following approval from the Canadian justice minister. The charges against Uribe-Tobar carry a minimum sentence of three years and a maximum of life in prison upon conviction
HUMAN SMUGGLING BORDER CROSSING EXTRADITION CANADA UNITED STATES MEXICO COLLOMBIAN DEATH PREGNANT WOMAN
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