Idaho sisters face human smuggling charges

BOISE, Idaho – Two Idaho sisters indicted by a Texas federal grand jury for conspiracy to transport aliens and conspiracy to bring aliens into the U.S. were arrested April 2 by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of local police.

Erika Jasmine Acosta, 27 and Xochitl Ann Prado, 35, both of Payette, made their initial appearances April 2, in Boise federal court. The indictment alleges that in November 2014, Acosta and Prado accepted payment to transport an illegal alien from Mexico into the United States through the San Ysidro port of entry in California. The indictment further alleges a co-conspirator provided transportation to an illegal alien from California to Texas. As part of the indictment, the government is seeking the forfeiture of proceeds from the alleged crime, which court documents state is at least approximately $12,500.

Acosta was placed under the supervision of pretrial services by the court and released. She was ordered to appear April 16 before a federal judge in El Paso, Texas. Prado was released April 3 on her own recognizance.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

The case is being investigated by HSI and the HSI-led El Paso Border Enforcement and Security Task Force with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Border Patrol. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Payette Police Department and the Payette County Sheriff's Office assisted HSI in making the Idaho arrests.

The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.