DEL RIO, Texas \u2013 A man was sentenced to more than 17 years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Juan Antonio Flores, 36, of Eagle Pass, coordinated trips for a human smuggling organization to bring people to the U.S. illegally, making $4,000 per person transported from Mexico to San Antonio, according to the DOJ.<\/p>\n
The people were often transported to Austin, where co-conspirator Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez would receive them, the DOJ said.<\/p>\n
Flores and Gonzalez worked together on 15 to 20 human smuggling events, the DOJ said. Another co-conspirator, Armando Garcia-Martinez, known as \u201cLeche,\u201d was a driver for Flores and Gonzales, averaging two to three smuggling trips per week.<\/p>\n
During one trip, the DOJ said the smuggling organization took a family of undocumented immigrants hostage and \u201ccontinuously demanded payments from their relatives in the form of electronic wire transfers.\u201d<\/p>\n
The family consisted of a man, pregnant woman and their 7-year-old child, the DOJ said. Due to threats made toward the family, a relative paid at least $1,000 to the organization on July 9, 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cStill, the (organization) continued to demand payment to different accounts as a condition for the release,\u201d the DOJ said.<\/p>\n
On April 24, 2024, Flores was named in a six-count indictment and arrested on June 12, 2024. <\/p>\n
He pleaded guilty on Oct. 7, 2024, according to the DOJ, and was sentenced in a Del Rio federal court to 212 months in prison.<\/p>\n
Co-defendant Edwin Alredo Barrientos-Mateo, known as \u201cWaches,\u201d was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Co-defendant Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya was sentenced to 15 years in prison.<\/p>\n
The DOJ said all other co-defendants pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.<\/p>\n
According to the DOJ, the case is part of \u201cOperation Take Back America,\u201d a nationwide imitative that uses DOJ resources to crack down on illegal immigration and criminal organization activity.<\/p>\n
Read also:<\/p>\n
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