Romulo Hernandez Murillo, 46, an illegal alien from Honduras, and Lisa Marie Lopez Perdomo, 49, of Syracuse, Kansas, pleaded guilty today to submitting a sponsorship application containing false statements to the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) to gain custody of an unaccompanied alien child (UAC).
“This guilty plea demonstrates the success of the Trump administration’s efforts to root out fraud that undermines a government program designed to protect children,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice and Joint Task Force Alpha will continue to investigate and prosecute those who refuse to abide by laws that protect vulnerable children and who lie to the government officials charged with maintaining the integrity of these programs.”
“Our nation has programs which offer safe haven to refugee children fleeing dangerous conditions in their home counties. With feigned benevolence, the defendants submitted false information during the application process and utilized the system to gain access to a minor they could exploit and abuse,” said U.S Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “These instances are stark reminders that we need oversight to make sure these programs aren’t used for nefarious purposes.”
“Those who submit false statements to obstruct the federal process for protecting unaccompanied children place vulnerable minors at risk and compromise the integrity of a critical safety system,” said Acting Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Miranda L. Bennett of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS‑OIG, working alongside our law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and hold accountable individuals who attempt to exploit programs designed to ensure the safety and well‑being of children.”
“This was not a paperwork error or a technical violation. It was an intentional scheme built on false statements, fabricated documentation, and deception to improperly obtain custody of an unaccompanied child,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Rick Sabatini of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Kansas City. “Those who seek to exploit child-protection programs for unlawful purposes should understand that HSI will pursue the full scope of their conduct, identify their co-conspirators, and work with our federal, state, and local partners to bring them before the court. Protecting vulnerable children and defending the integrity of our immigration processes remain a core HSI priority.”
According to court documents, Hernandez Murillo agreed to pay Lopez Perdomo to assist him with applying to sponsor and obtain custody of a then 17-year-old Honduran UAC. Lopez Perdomo filled out and submitted the application, which contained false statements claiming that Hernandez Murillo resided with Lopez Perdomo at her home address, and included a photograph of Hernandez Murillo standing in front of her residence. After submitting the application, Lopez Perdomo spoke to an HHS employee and posed as a household member living with Hernandez Murillo. Hernandez Murillo and Lopez Perdomo have been held in federal custody on these charges since December 2025 and January 2026, respectively.
Hernandez Murillo pleaded guilty to making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement. Lopez Perdomo pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States and making a false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement. Both face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on each count. Sentencing is set for Jan. 6, 2027. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
HHS-OIG and HSI are investigating the case with assistance from the Kansas Department of Labor, Special Investigations Unit; IRS Criminal Investigations; and the Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration. Additionally, HSI’s Center for Countering Human Trafficking in Washington, D.C., and ORR have provided invaluable assistance along with the U.S. Marshals Service.
Deputy Chief Christian Levesque and Trial Attorney Matthew Thiman of the Justice Department’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine J. Andrusak for the District of Kansas are prosecuting the case.
The investigation and indictment leading to the guilty plea announced today was supported and prosecuted by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), the Department’s lead effort in combating human smuggling and trafficking committed by cartels and Transnational Criminal Organizations throughout the Americas. A highly successful partnership between the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), JTFA investigates and prosecutes the most prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking networks that impact public safety and border security. Led by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and supported by other Criminal Division components, among others, JTFA has dedicated prosecutors from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the Southwest border, Southern Florida, and Northern New York and Vermont. JTFA also partners with other USAOs throughout the country and supports high-priority cases in any district. All JTFA cases rely on substantial law enforcement resources from DHS, including ICE/ HSI and Customs and Border Protection/Border Patrol and Office of Field Operations, as well as FBI and other law enforcement agencies. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 483 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling and/or trafficking; more than 436 U.S. convictions; and more than 371 significant jail sentences imposed, and forfeitures of substantial assets.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) and Project Safe Neighborhood.