LAREDO, Texas - A 53-year-old resident of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been ordered to federal prison for conspiring to transport people unlawfully within the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.
Carl Bernstein, formerly of Plainview, New York, pleaded guilty Sept. 9.
Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo ordered him to serve a 46-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard from Bernstein, who admitted the money enticed him to commit the crime. Judge Marmolejo also heard more about Bernstein’s criminal history and noted that his extensive criminal record dates back to 1985.
On June 6, 2021, authorities stopped Bernstein for a traffic violation as he was driving a tractor-trailer on State Highway 16 near Tilden. They took him into custody upon learning of active arrest warrants.
He exited the tractor, at which time authorities opened the doors and noticed multiple people inside the trailer. Law enforcement identified a total of 42 people as non-U.S. citizens unlawfully in the country.
Bernstein admitted he expected to be paid for driving the vehicle.
Bernstein will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Bajew prosecuted the case.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
