A Texas truck driver has been sentenced to more than three years in federal prison for illegally transporting 51 undocumented migrants in a tractor-trailer.
Rene Garcia, 28, of San Benito, Texas, pleaded guilty in August to charges related to transporting undocumented migrants stemming from a case in May, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
In handing down the sentence last week, a U.S. district judge in Corpus Christi, Texas, took into consideration Garcia had recently been convicted of transporting undocumented migrants in another case, according to a release.
Garcia was arrested on May 13, 2021, after attempting to drive a tractor-trailer carrying a shipment of onions through the Falfurrias Border Patrol Station. During a search of the vehicle, Border Patrol officers discovered 51 individuals hidden among pallets of onions in the trailer.
“At least one of the migrants reported having a difficult time breathing in the trailer and there was no way to escape in the event of an emergency,” according to the Justice Department. “Garcia later admitted to making arrangements with someone in San Benito to smuggle the undocumented migrants through the Falfurrias checkpoint and then to Houston.”
Garcia’s prison sentence will be followed by three years of supervised release.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection stopped 178,840 undocumented migrants along the Southwest land border in December, the most recent month for which data is available.
Click for more FreightWaves articles by Noi Mahoney.
More articles by Noi Mahoney
‘Freedom Convoy’ in Canada accesses $1M from once-frozen viral fundraiser
Customs and Border Protection terminates lease with Texas seaport
$231M rail project to connect Port of Mobile to central Alabama
Brokerage Compliance Symposium
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
F3 Awards Dinner
The night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
F3: Future of Freight Festival
Industry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The day before F3. Every compliance issue you face - fraud exposure, carrier liability, FMCSA rules, cargo theft, insurance gaps - navigated by attorneys and operators defining best practices in a changing industry.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowThe night before F3. FreightTech100 companies honored. FreightTech 25 and Shipper of Choice winners revealed live. Cocktail reception into dinner and live music - 300 industry leaders in one purpose-built room.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register NowIndustry-defining keynotes, rapid-fire technology demos, and industry leaders networking in experiences across Chattanooga - plus the inaugural F3 Awards Dinner featuring the FreightTech and Shipper of Choice reveals.
The Signal at Chattanooga Choo Choo • Chattanooga, TN Register Now