Man, woman who helped suspected immigrant escape authorities face 4 days in jail

SALT LAKE CITY — A man and a woman accused of helping a man believed to be in the country illegally to escape federal immigration authorities last year will each spend four days in jail in connection with the incident.

George Sanchez-Juarez, 22, and Kelzie Ryann Luna, 21, each pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court on Monday to a count of theft, conversion and disposal of government property and aiding and abetting, a misdemeanor, in the incident. Apart from spending four days in jail, each must also pay a fine of $600, and both must jointly pay $28 in restitution for the set of handcuffs they cut off the man, a suspected immigrant in the country illegally.

The case isn't just about the handcuffs, federal property, destroyed in the Oct. 8, 2025, incident, said Todd Christopher Bouton, the U.S. attorney who prosecuted the case. More significantly, it's about drawing a line between properly protesting U.S. immigration policy or immigrant enforcement methods and interfering with federal agents' actions. Soon after Sanchez-Juarez and Luna helped the man, video of his escape and the subsequent removal of his handcuffs with bolt cutters made its way to social media, garnering thousands of views on Instagram.

Bouton summarized his position in a briefing to Magistrate Judge Dustin Pead, who heard the case. Their guilty pleas and sentences stemmed from a plea agreement with federal authorities.

"Defendants interfered with a lawful arrest of a suspected illegal alien," Bouton wrote. "They helped a handcuffed suspect escape. They knew he was fleeing from law enforcement. But because they apparently have personal issues with ICE or immigration policy, they invited a fleeing, handcuffed suspect to jump in their car.

"Then they sped off as a law enforcement officer ran toward them to apprehend him. They obtained bolt cutters and cut the handcuffs off the suspect. Then they bragged about their crime online."

Even if they lack criminal records, Bouton said Sanchez-Juarez and Luna need to face punishment to send a message about the importance of respecting the law, among other things.

"This crime merits more than just a probation sentence, a public scolding or some finger wagging. Defendants and the general public need to understand that if they interfere with lawful ICE arrests, they will go to jail. No matter how sincere, personal political beliefs are no defense," Bouton wrote.

Both Sanchez-Juarez and Luna, identified as boyfriend and girlfriend in court papers, expressed regret over the incident. Neither has a criminal record.

"Certainly she regrets making a bad decision in the heat of the moment," said Jeffrey Clark, Luna's attorney, who didn't formally address the court.

Luna briefly addressed the court, expressing regret over what happened. "I don't want to do it again," he said.

The incident last year began as an enforcement action by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials at the Home Depot at 328 W. 2100 South in Salt Lake City. The officials planned to arrest four "previously deported aliens" they thought might be at the location.

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Ultimately, one of the men they detained fled from agents when they turned their attention to another suspect and ran into 2100 South. An officer followed, but was slowed by traffic. Soon thereafter, the fleeing suspect shouted for help from Sanchez-Juarez and Luna, who happened to be passing by, got in their vehicle and escaped.

Authorities tracked Sanchez-Juarez and Luna through surveillance video and social media posts, among other things. In addition to jail time and fines, they face six months of supervised release.

Bouton said he doesn't think the suspect Sanchez-Juarez and Luna aided has been apprehended. Had he been detained and determined to have been in the country illegally, they could have faced more serious charges, he said.

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