STATE v. PADILLA VALLADARES (2025)

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fifth District.

STATE of Florida, Appellant, v. Josselin Nicoll PADILLA-VALLADARES, Appellee.

Case No. 5D2023-2201

Decided: February 07, 2025

John M. Guard, Acting Attorney General, Jeffrey Paul DeSousa, Chief Deputy Solicitor General, and Robert Scott Schenck, Assistant Solicitor General, Office of the Attorney General, Tallahassee, for Appellant. Matthew J. Metz, Public Defender, and Joseph Chloupek, Assistant Public Defender, Daytona Beach, for Appellee.

The State of Florida appeals the trial court's order dismissing human smuggling charges against Josselin Nicoll Padilla- Valladares. See § 787.07(1), Fla. Stat. (2021). The State argues that the order is in error because “illegally entering” into the United States is a continuous act. We agree.

Our court's binding decision in State v. Yanes-Blanco, 50 Fla. L. Weekly D212, D214 (Fla. 5th DCA Jan. 17, 2025) (“Their entry continued until they arrived at their destination ․”) is controlling in this case. We therefore reverse the order and remand for further proceedings.

Reversed and Remanded.

Per Curiam.

Eisnaugle, Boatwright, and Kilbane, JJ., concur.

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