San Diego Man Admits Role in Alien Smuggling Scheme that Held Migrants for Ransom; Distraught Families Paid Thousands but Two Remain Missing

SAN DIEGO - Isaac Jimenez, a U.S. citizen and San Diego resident, pleaded guilty in federal court today, admitting his role in an alien smuggling conspiracy that held would-be migrants hostage in Mexico while demanding ransom payments from distraught families who paid tens of thousands of dollars in vain.

As part of his plea, Jimenez acknowledged that he coordinated alien smuggling events that brought migrants to the United States from Mexico illegally for a price. Jimenez further admitted he collected ransom payments from family members of migrants who, instead of being smuggled into the U.S., were held against their will in Tijuana, never to be seen again. In at least two cases, the victims-a father of four U.S. citizen children and a young woman from Tijuana-disappeared after their families made multiple ransom payments to secure their freedom.

According to his plea agreement, although Jimenez did not personally hold migrants captive, he knew his coconspirators were committing these acts in furtherance of the broader smuggling scheme. Despite that knowledge, he continued to participate in the conspiracy and committed acts to advance it.

For example, in September 2024, Jimenez personally collected $15,000 in ransom payments from the U.S. citizen wife of the father of four who was being held against his will in Mexico by the smuggling organization. Jimenez admitted he later transported the $15,000 to Mexico and delivered it to his coconspirators. Afterward, additional ransom demands were made by the organization, some of which the man's spouse and other family members were able to pay. Despite these payments, the smuggling organization threatened to kill the man unless his family made additional payments. After the family could give no more money, all communications from the smuggling organization ceased. The man's whereabouts remain unknown. According to his plea agreement, to the best of Jimenez's knowledge, the man was killed in Mexico.

In December 2024, Jimenez agreed to coordinate the smuggling of a 20-year-old woman from Tijuana, Mexico, for a smuggling fee of $7,000. Before the woman was smuggled into the United States, however, Jimenez's coconspirators in Mexico held her against her will and demanded $30,000 from her family in exchange for her release. The smuggling organization then sent video calls to the woman's fiancé and family members showing them pointing firearms at her and kicking her in the chest and head. The conspirators threatened to kill the woman if their ransom demands were not met. Despite the woman's family sending an additional $10,000 to the smuggling organization, she was still not released. To the best of Jimenez's knowledge, the woman was killed in Mexico.

As part of his guilty plea, Jimenez has agreed to pay $24,500 to the family members of the missing migrants, for funeral and related expenses and as restitution for a portion of the ransom payments made to the smuggling organization in the course of the conspiracy.

Jimenez is scheduled to be sentenced on September 11, 2026, before U.S. District Judge Janis L. Sammartino.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert J. Miller and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Samson Schatz.

DEFENDANT Case Number 25cr2648-JLS

Isaac Jimenez Age: 30 San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Conspiracy to Bring in Certain Aliens - Title 18, U.S.C., Section 371, and Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)

Maximum penalty: Five years in prison and $250,000 fine

Bringing in Aliens for Financial Gain - Title 8, U.S.C., Section 1324(a)(2)(B)(ii)

Maximum penalty: Ten years in prison (and a mandatory minimum three years) and $250,000 fine

INVESTIGATING AGENCY

Homeland Security Investigations

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

This case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) as part of Operation Take Back America. HSTFs, which were established by President Trump in Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion, are joint operations led by the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security. Operation Take Back America is a nationwide federal initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).