LAREDO, Texas - A 28-year-old Laredoan has been ordered to federal prison for a conspiracy which resulted in the death of an undocumented alien, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
David Valadaz pleaded guilty March 11.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered Valadaz to serve a 97-month sentence to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release.
On Nov. 5, 2020, law enforcement attempted to pull over Valadaz, but he fled. He then crashed into the fence of a local business before fleeing on foot. Three undocumented aliens were in the vehicle, one of whom was in the trunk.
The individual in the truck of the vehicle was deceased when authorities found him. Another had suffered serious bodily injury requiring surgery to his elbow.
Valadaz has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony Brown and April Ayers-Perez prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
