AndCuban was found guilty of trafficking undocumented immigrants in South Texas inside a truck full of rotten products,reported the Federal Prosecutor's Office.
After a two-day trial last week, a federal jury in Corpus Christi, Texas, foundIlleysel Carcassés, 38, guilty of transporting illegal aliens into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.
According to authorities, on November 13, 2023, Carcassés drove a refrigerated truck to the Sarita Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint, where a police canine unit alerted the rear of the vehicle while conducting an inspection. initial.
During a second search, authorities discoveredfive undocumented people hidden inside the back of the vehicle, between pallets of rotten products. The individuals were locked inside with no way to escape, agents said.
Carcassés denied having keys to open the rear compartment of the vehicle, however, officials found the keys in the cabin. Police evidence also showed that his cell phone was present at the place where the undocumented immigrants were loaded into the vehicle.
The Cuban's defense tried to convince the jury that he was unaware that the undocumented immigrants were hiding in his truck, but the jury did not believe these statements and declared him guilty of the charges.
Federal District Judge David S. Morales, who presided over the trial, set sentencing for May 8.
Carcassés faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible maximum fine of $250,000.
The defendant was allowed to remain free on bail while awaiting sentencing.
In 2023, the arrests of other Cubans for illegal migrant smuggling were reported. In June, in the city of Zavala, Texas, it wasdetained Idonis Fernando Morales Núñez, who was transporting four undocumented Latin American immigrants in his vehicle.
Months earlier, a canine unit from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) detaineda Cuban coyote that transported four migrants of Mexican origin hidden in a van from the American company U-Haul.
What do you think?
SEE COMMENTS (2)Filed in: