Two Individuals Arraigned on Immigration Charges

Two individuals accused of harboring illegal aliens and re-entering the United States appeared for arraignment this week, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme. Kristin Louise Mitchell, also known as Kristin Louise Short, 41, from Shelby, pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging her with attempted harboring of illegal aliens. If convicted, Mitchell faces a potential sentence of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and three years of supervised release. Carlos Alexis Ponce-Lopez, 33, a citizen of Honduras, also pleaded not guilty to an indictment charging him with re-entry of a removed alien. If found guilty, Ponce-Lopez could face up to two years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and three years of supervised release. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston presided over the arraignment. Mitchell was released under specific conditions, while Ponce-Lopez was detained pending further proceedings. Count 1 of the indictment alleges that on March 4, 2025, near Shelby, Mitchell attempted to conceal, harbor, and shield from detection three illegal aliens and took significant steps toward committing this offense. Count 2 charges Ponce-Lopez with the illegal re-entry of a removed alien near Billings on February 21, 2025. The indictment states that Ponce-Lopez is a citizen of Honduras who was removed from the United States in August 2014 and subsequently re-entered the country without permission from the Attorney General or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Border Patrol, Montana Highway Patrol, and the Toole County Sheriff’s Office. This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at utilizing the full resources of the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, eradicate cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect communities from violent crime. Operation Take Back America consolidates efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN). It is important to note that the charging documents are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. For reference, please see PACER case number 25-34. You can monitor the progress of cases through the U.S. District Court Calendar and the PACER system. To establish a PACER account for electronic access to review documents filed in a case, please visit http://www.pacer.gov/register.html. To access the District Court’s calendar, please visit https://ecf.mtd.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/PublicCalendar.pl.

Two Individuals Arraigned on Immigration Charges

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