One of several defendants in a Lyon County human smuggling and identity theft case has a new attorney as her case goes forward.
At her latest hearing Friday, Martha Lopez-Alvarado’s request for a new attorney led to the appointment of Chris Ambrose. Prior attorney Paul Dean had mentioned an unspecified conflict.
The motion means a new pretrial conference will take place Oct. 3.
Lopez-Alvarado is currently charged with identity theft, interference with law enforcement, marijuana possession and paraphernalia possession.
Several other defendants remain charged and are at varying points in the court process:
*Hugo Cardona-Argueta is charged with identity theft, interference with law enforcement, marijuana possession and paraphernalia possession. He has a pretrial hearing now on the docket for Sept. 24.
*Francisco Pichardo-Machado is charged with making false information, marijuana possession and paraphernalia possession. He is facing potential trial dates starting Oct. 6, Oct. 27 or Nov. 17.
* Iris Sandoval-Flores has a hearing Sept. 12 on charges of stealing dental supplies and prescription drugs from CareArc as well as practicing dentistry or dental hygiene without a license. She also has a preliminary hearing Sept. 15 on charges of human smuggling, identity theft and dealing in false ID documents.
Martin Pichardo-Machado has been sentenced to time served after pleading no contest to marijuana possession earlier this month. Charges of making false information and paraphernalia possession were dismissed.
Court proceedings have not progressed against three defendants after all allegedly failed to appear in Lyon County District Court earlier this year:
*Rigoberto Sandoval-Sandoval and Ana Raquel Figueroa, charged with unlicensed practice of dentistry or dental hygiene and unlawful obtaining a prescription-only drug
*Edwar Benavidez-Sanchez, listed on the Kansas District Court Public Access Portal as Jerlin Jeovanny Cerna-Arguello, charged with identity theft, identity fraud, making false information and dealing in false ID documents
The larger case, announced in May, accuses the defendants of producing, supplying and using false documents like drivers licenses and Social Security cards, as well as illegally harboring a person illegally possibly for exploitation purposes and having an unlicensed dental operation inside the Sandoval-Flores home between January 2024 and this past spring.
