Worcester Man Charged In Large-Scale Human Smuggling Ring

WORCESTER, MA - A Brazilian national illegally residing in Worcester was charged yesterday and accused of being part of a large-scale human smuggling ring.

According to a news release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, Flavio Alves, 41, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging him with conspiracy to bring and transport aliens to and within the United States. He was previously convicted of human smuggling offenses in California in 2004 and deported to Brazil the following February. Sometime after his removal, he reportedly re-entered the United States.

An investigation began into a suspected human smuggling organization within the U.S. in April 2022. Officials believed Brazilian nationals were smuggled through Mexico, across the U.S.-Mexico border and into the country for financial gain.

Alves reportedly joined in 2021 and was one of the U.S.-based smugglers. Investigators believe he was responsible for purchasing airline tickets for aliens to various places within the states. Between May 2021 and August 2022, Alves is suspected of buying over 100 individual airline tickets from Tucson or Phoenix to cities in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania.

Investigators also believe Alves sent money to aliens and smugglers in Mexico to pay for the expenses incurred during their transport. Bank records show he might've sent hundreds of thousands of dollars in transfers to aid their travel, and he additionally is accused of using in-person money transfer services across various Massachusetts locations to hide what the transfers were for.

The charge of conspiracy to bring aliens to, or transport within, the U.S. in violation of the law carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three yers of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Alves is also subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed.