San Antonio woman receives 11-year federal sentence for conspiracy in smuggling operation tied to migrant death
Federal court imposes 132-month term and forfeiture judgment
A 36-year-old San Antonio woman has been sentenced to 132 months in federal prison for her role in a human-smuggling conspiracy in which a migrant died after being transported in a trailer from the Eagle Pass area to San Antonio, court records show. The sentence was imposed in federal court in Del Rio.
The court also ordered a $955,350 money judgment as part of the case. The conviction involved conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants, with the offense resulting in death.
How investigators described the operation
Investigators said the smuggling organization moved undocumented migrants from the Eagle Pass area to San Antonio and relied on a network of coordinators, drivers and drop-off locations. Prosecutors alleged the San Antonio woman coordinated smuggling activity with co-conspirators in Mexico, helped arrange drivers and directed payments tied to the transport.
Authorities attributed more than 500 smuggling events to the broader operation and alleged the enterprise generated more than $4.7 million in proceeds over roughly an 18-month period spanning early 2021 through mid-2022.
Death after trailer transport and discovery near Von Ormy
On May 25, 2021, a driver affiliated with the conspiracy transported a trailer carrying undocumented migrants from a residence in Eagle Pass toward San Antonio. After the trailer arrived, one migrant was described as gravely ill and died about an hour later.
Prosecutors said co-conspirators left the body in a ditch within a few miles of a Von Ormy property linked to the San Antonio defendant and used as a drop-off location. The body was recovered May 30, 2021, along with identification belonging to the deceased migrant.
Investigators said the Von Ormy property had been purchased with proceeds from the smuggling operation and was acquired to support smuggling activity.
Digital evidence and related prosecutions
Investigators said they identified communications on WhatsApp that referenced smuggling activity and involved the San Antonio woman and a co-conspirator. She was arrested in August 2022 and later pleaded guilty in December 2022.
In related cases, federal courts have sentenced other defendants connected to the same conspiracy. Two co-conspirators previously received prison terms of 12½ years and 18 years, and additional defendants were reported to be awaiting sentencing at the time of the latest court action.
- Sentence: 132 months in federal prison
- Money judgment: $955,350
- Fatal incident date: May 25, 2021
- Body recovered: May 30, 2021
Federal authorities said the case underscores the risks posed by smuggling operations that use concealed transport methods and rely on dispersed staging and drop-off sites across South Texas.