EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — On Tuesday, a 42-year-old undocumented migrant from Mexico was sentenced in an El Paso federal court for his role in a human smuggling operation that left one migrant seriously injured.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Manuel Alejandro Melendez-Cereceres, aka “Monstro,” was sentenced to 110 months in prison– a little over 9 years– as he recruited human smugglers and set up a smuggling operation where a migrant fell off a fence and suffered serious fractures that required surgery.
Besides the prison sentences, a judge ordered Melendez-Cereceres to pay $672,101.
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The smuggling incident happened on May 15, 2025.
According to court documents, Border Patrol Agents in Tornillo intercepted a human smuggling operation and apprehended a foot guide who, on their phone, showed messages with Melendez-Cereceres.
During the operation, a migrant fell off a fence, suffering a right hip socket fracture, a right hip joint fracture, a sacral fracture and a right heel bone fracture.
Melendez-Cereceres was then arrested in June 2025 at his home and indicted for four counts related to alien smuggling.
Then, a year later, on June 11, 2026, Melendez-Cereceres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport migrants resulting in serious bodily injury.
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