In Laredo, Texas, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced that Juan Manuel Aguirre, a 49-year-old individual, has been indicted by a federal grand jury.
The indictment includes three charges against Aguirre, one of which is conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien within the United States for financial gain.
The allegations state that Aguirre was involved in the transportation and smuggling of a large group of undocumented immigrants using a tractor trailer.
Law enforcement officials, as stated in the criminal complaint, witnessed the loading of individuals into a white trailer at a warehouse parking lot on December 2.
Upon the truck’s departure, authorities initiated a traffic stop and made a shocking discovery: 101 non-U.S. citizens were found locked inside, including 12 unaccompanied children.
The charges reveal that two individuals expressed concerns about their well-being, as they struggled to breathe and feared for their lives due to the deplorable conditions inside the trailer.
If Aguirre is found guilty, he could be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count, along with fines of up to $250,000.
The operation carried out by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) involved multiple law enforcement agencies including Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and Border Patrol.
They received support from Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Webb County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling. An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct and should not be considered as evidence.
It is important to remember that the defendant is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty through a fair legal process.