Federal prosecutors charged Juan Pablo Cuellar-Medina, 35, of Everett, and Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 45, of Independence, Oregon, on Friday with conspiracy to commit illegal transportation of a noncitizen.

Two men connected to a northern border people smuggling scheme recently made their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Seattle. Jesus Ortiz-Plata, 45, of Independence, Oregon, and Juan ...