EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 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. <\/p>\n
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. <\/p>\n
Besides the prison sentences, a judge ordered Melendez-Cereceres to pay $672,101.<\/p>\n
RELATED: Mexican national ‘El Monstro’ indicted on human smuggling charges in El Paso<\/a><\/p>\n The smuggling incident happened on May 15, 2025.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Melendez-Cereceres was then arrested in June 2025 at his home and indicted for four counts related to alien smuggling.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n RECOMMENDED: El Paso mayor\u2019s brother sentenced to over 4 years in prison for NBA Ponzi scheme<\/a><\/p>\n