Three immigrants are accused of operating a network to bring children into the United States.
The Prosecutor's Office maintains that the accused participated in an operation to cross minors across the border
The Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the filing of federal charges against three Guatemalan immigrants accused of participating in an alleged child trafficking network that would have facilitated the irregular entry of more than a dozen children into the country.
The announcement was made by Acting Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who assured that the investigation is part of the administration's efforts to combat human trafficking networks and strengthen border security.
The acting prosecutor confirmed that federal charges were filed against Maritza Kawik-Koch, her brother Carlos Agustín Kawik-Koch and Gladys Marina Kalchen, alleged participants in the minor trafficking operation: “They claimed to be close relatives [of the minors] when in reality they were not and used false or stolen identities.”
According to authorities, the accused participated in an immigrant smuggling operation that involved minors, although so far not all the details of the case or the identities of the affected children have been publicly revealed.