CHARLOTTE AMALIE — A Colombian man who was deported four years ago has been indicted by a federal grand jury for re-appearing in St. Thomas as an illegal migrant … again.
William Giraldo Cabanzo, 59, of Bogota, is criminally charged with re-entry of a removed alien and unlawful bringing of aliens into the United States, U.S. Attorney Delia L. Smith said.
Cabanzo, was previously removed from the United States on April 3, 2021, for violating the Immigration and Nationality Act.
As a result of his removal, he was barred from reapplying for entry into the United States for five years.
According to court documents, in June 2024, federal agents apprehended Cabanzo after he
was observed exiting a vehicle in the Charlotte Amalie area of St. Thomas.
He later admitted to having re-entered the United States Virgin Islands in May 2024. In addition to the illegal re-entry charge,
Cabanzo was also charged with unlawfully bringing a family from Venezuela into the United States in April 2024.
According to court documents, Cabanzo contacted the Venezuelan family and agreed to assist them in entering the United States illegally.
Cabanzo initially charged the family $4,000.00 for his services. But upon their arrival at his residence in Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, he demanded an additional $4,000.00 to arrange their transportation to the United States.
On May 15, 2024, after receiving the payments, Cabanzo arranged the family’s travel from Tortola, BVI to St. Thomas, where they entered the United States illegally
The charges against Cabanzo highlight the ongoing efforts by federal authorities to prevent
the illegal reentry of previously removed aliens, and to combat human smuggling activities that
pose a significant threat to national security.
This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cherrisse Woods.
U.S. Attorney Smith reminds the public that an indictment is merely a formal
charging document, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a
reasonable doubt in a court of law.