Five Defendants Charged with Defrauding and Exploiting H-2A Visa Program to Smuggle Aliens into the United States

ATLANTA - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) supported a federal investigation that resulted in the indictment of five people for their roles in a scheme to exploit a nonimmigrant visa worker program. The defendants fraudulently obtained worker visas and smuggled aliens into the United States. The U.S. Attorney for Southern District of Georgia made the announcement.

According to court documents, Martha Aquino, also known as "Martha Patricia Resendez Sanchez" or "Marta," 61; Evangelina Aquino De Galvan, 49; and Julio Cervantes, 38, all of Alma, Georgia; as well as Marco Cervantes, also known as "Chiquilin," 41, of Rowlett, Georgia; and Juan Felipe Romero-Lopez, 31, an illegal alien from Mexico, conspired to exploit the H-2A visa program by fraudulently obtaining temporary visas to bring workers into the United States.

The defendants lied about where the workers would work and reside and did not comply with the laws and rules governing the visa program. Specifically, they demanded and received improper payments from the workers before the workers could seek H-2A visas or begin working in the United States. They confiscated and withheld the workers' identification documents, including passports, and at times threatened or used violence against the workers to deter them from leaving or failing to work. After the workers' visas expired, the conspirators enabled them to remain in the United States and even offered to transport them elsewhere in the United States in exchange for additional improper payments.

Aquino, Julio Cervantes, and Marco Cervantes were arrested. Aquino De Galvan remains at large. Romero-Lopez has been detained after being originally charged in May 2026 for unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. Aquino, Aquino De Galvan, and Julio Cervantes are charged with conspiring to commit visa fraud, visa fraud, and encouraging and inducing aliens to enter the United States illegally for commercial advantage and private gain. Marco Cervantes is charged with conspiring to commit visa fraud and visa fraud. Romero-Lopez is charged with conspiring to commit visa fraud and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

If convicted, all five defendants face a maximum penalty of five years in prison for visa fraud conspiracy. Aquino, Aquino De Galvan, Julio Cervantes, and Marco Cervantes also each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for visa fraud. Aquino, Aquino De Galvan, and Julio Cervantes each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison for encouraging and inducing illegal entry, and Romero-Lopez faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

This case is being investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations in Savannah, the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service, the Department of Labor's Office of Inspector General, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation. HSI's Human Smuggling Unit in Washington, D.C.; U.S. Custom and Border Protection's National Targeting Center International Interdiction Task Force; and USCIS assisted with the investigation.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

To report suspected immigration benefit fraud or abuse to USCIS, please use the USCIS Tip Form.

For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit USCIS.gov or follow us on X, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and LinkedIn.