The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont said Patricia Ruano-Murcia, 31, of Hudson, Massachusetts, has been charged with a felony count of unlawful transportation of persons who entered the United States illegally. Ruano-Murcia is scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Kevin J. Doyle today.
According to documents in the case, on October 16, 2022, shortly after 1:00 a.m., the United States Border Patrol observed people walking southbound, east of the Highgate Springs Port of Entry and in close proximity to the international border with Canada. Agents investigating suspected illegal border crossings encountered a Toyota RAV4 near exit 22 of Interstate 89. After first seeing the vehicle, the RAV4 left the area. Shortly thereafter, it returned to the same approximate location. Border police then stopped the RAV4 and found Ruano-Murcia, who was the driver. There were three people in the rear passenger seat of the RAV4, and three more crammed into the rear trunk. The six occupants of the RAV4 subsequently admitted that they were not citizens of the United States and that they did not have immigration documents allowing them to enter and remain in the United States.
The US Attorney’s Office notes that a criminal charge is only an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. If found guilty, the accused faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison according to the current indictment. Any sentence in this case will be determined by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
U.S. Attorney Nikolas P. Kerest credited the United States Border Patrol for their investigation of Ruano-Murcia.
Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan Ophardt is representing the government. Ruano-Murcia is represented by the Office of the Federal Public Defender.
