Police Officer Arrested For Migrant Smuggling

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Puerto Rico

United States Magistrate Judge Bruce J. McGiverin authorized a criminal
complaint charging San Juan Municipal police officer Luz Zoraida Rojas-
Delgado with one count of human smuggling, announced United States

Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. Immigration and Customs Enfor-

cement, Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) is in charge of the 

investigation.

According to the information contained in the affidavit submitted in support 

of the criminal complaint, on August 24, 2015, Rojas-Delgado established 

communication with a Source of Information requesting assistance  to smu-

ggle a friend from Antigua to Puerto Rico. Rojas-Delgado had previously 

engaged in communications with other people in an attempt to make a deal 

for the venture but did not agree with the price of $3,000 established by the 

alleged smuggler.

The investigation conducted by the ICE-HSI revealed that on August 25,
2015, Rojas-Delgado agreed with an undercover agent, who she believed 

was a smuggler, to bring her Dominican friend from Antigua for $2,800. 

On August 28, 2015, the defendant met with the undercover agent and af-

ter paying $1,800 for the smuggling, she was arrested.

The investigation also revealed that Rojas-Delgado stated that she was wor-
king on building a case against transporters to later turn it over to pertinent 

agencies. HSI special agents were able to confirm with the San Juan Muni-

cipal Police that Rojas-Delgado was not working on any authorized opera-

tion at the time of her arrest.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth Erbe.
If convicted defendant faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison. A cri-
minal complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defen-
dant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.