Mabelvale Woman Indicted for Illegally Smuggling Clams into the United States

LITTLE ROCK—Yanci Lissbeth Amaya Aguiluz appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joe J. Volpe for plea and arraignment after being charged with illegally smuggling clams into the United States. Aguiluz, 52, of Mabelvale, was indicted on July 8, 2026, on two counts of smuggling more than three dozen clams into the United States on two different occasions. Aguiluz entered a plea of not guilty to the charges in the Indictment and trial is scheduled for August 31, 2026. The Indictment alleges that after receiving notification from the Arkansas Department of Health in July 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched an investigation into Aguiluz’s alleged illegal possession and sale of a certain species of clams known as blood clams (scientific name is Anadora tuberculosa) that came from El Salvador. The Arkansas Department of Health sent Aguiluz a notice regarding her attempt to import and sell the clams. An investigation further revealed that after allegedly smuggling the clams into the United States, Aguiluz sold the clams on a social media platform at local events in central Arkansas. It is a violation of law to ship clams from El Salvador due to El Salvador not being listed on the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List (ICSSL). The ICSSL is an official list maintained by the Food and Drug Administration that identifies shellfish dealers who are authorized to ship shellfish within the United States. Shellfish such as clams are filter feeders, meaning they eat and filter the water in which they live. The United States has high water quality standards and will only accept shellfish from certain geographic areas that meet certain quality levels. The type of clams Aguiluz is accused of smuggling are known for carrying Hepatitis A, Norovirus, parasites, and can carry marine biotoxins such as paralytic shellfish poisoning. If convicted, Aguiluz faces a potential penalty of up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. This case was investigated by the NOAA with assistance from the Environmental Crimes Natural Resource Division, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Customs & Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, Arkansas Department of Health, and Arkansas Game and Fish. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward Walker. An Indictment contains only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. # # # Additional information about the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at https://www.justice.gov/edar X (formerly known as Twitter): @USAO_EDAR