United States v. Gutierrez De Lopez

MATHESON, Circuit Judge.

After a sting operation involving two confidential informants and substantial audio and video surveillance, federal law enforcement officers caught Jesus Cabral-Ramirez (“Mr. Cabral”) and Defendants Appellant Maria Gutierrez de Lopez (“Ms. Gutierrez”) attempting to transport an undocumented alien from El Paso, Texas to Denver, Colorado. A federal grand jury indicted Ms. Gutierrez on one count of conspiring to transport undocumented aliens, in violation of 8 U.S.C. § 1324(a)(l)(A)(v)(I). 1

At trial, the Government elicited testimony from Border Patrol Agent Brian Knoll…