Utah couple arrested for smuggling millions of dollars of crude oil, documents say

SALT LAKE COUNTY, Utah (ABC4) — A Utah couple has been arrested for allegedly smuggling crude oil into the United States through Mexican criminal organizations. Two of their sons are also involved in the case.

According to recently unsealed court documents, James Lael Jensen, Maxwell Sterling Jensen, Kelly Anne Jensen, and Zachary Golden Jensen were all indicted for money laundering in the U.S. District Court of Southern Texas.

The indictment states that they allegedly brought 2,881 shipments of crude oil into the United States, claiming it was falsely labelled “waste of lube oils” and “petroleum distillates.”

An estimated $300 million in property owned by the family involved is subject to forfeiture if they are convicted. This includes business property, personal vehicles, and even a home located in Draper, Utah.

James and Kelly Jensen have been arrested in Utah, according to filings in the case.

In the warrant filed for James Jensen’s arrest, authorities say that over $47 million has gone from him to Mexican businesses. They allege that he is “in business relationships with individuals he knows work with Mexican criminal organizations.”

According to the warrant, James and Kelly Jensen own a home in the Bahamas that they visit every other month. They were there as recently as the week of April 14.

“James Jensen conspired with his wife, Kelly Jensen and two of his sons, Maxwell and Zachary Jensen, to launder proceeds from sales of illegally imported crude oil. The payments for this crude oil were directed to businesses in Mexico that operate only through the permission of Mexican criminal organization[s]. James Jensen was aware that the payments he made were going to these Mexican criminal organizations,” the warrant stated.

A filing by the court yesterday states that Kelly and James Jensen were both released with conditions. They both received several conditions on this release, including not leaving Utah without permission, surrendering their passports, and reporting to a pretrial officer regularly.

The United States Marshal Service was ordered to release them from the courthouse this morning at 9 a.m.