SEATTTLE — A man has pleaded guilty in U.S. District court in Seattle on Friday to a conspiracy to transport charge after transporting 12 illegal people, including multiple children, into the U.S. through Washington.
Daniel Andronache, 27, was arrested near Blaine on Nov. 9, 2023 after being caught driving a Ford Expedition he obtained in Tacoma with several adults and children that were classified as being in the U.S. illegally.
According to a plea agreement, Andronache flew from Omaha, Nebraska to Seattle two days prior his arrest, obtained the white SUV and drove to the near the international border in Blaine to pick up the group of people who were later identified as Romanian citizens. Andronache has also been identified as a Romanian citizen as well.
The group emerged from brush near the border and got in the car. When Border patrol stopped the car, officers noticed that the the car had only seats for eight people but 14 people in total were inside the vehicle crammed. Two children, one under the age of three, were not properly retrained while in the car, the plea agreement stated.
In Andronache’s plea agreement, he admitted to the charge and knew that the group were non-citizens and were planning to stay in the U.S. illegally.
Now, everyone that entered the U.S. illegally have been referred to immigration authorities for processing.
Andronache could face up to ten years in prison after his upcoming sentencing on June 12.