Alamdar Hamdani U.S. Attorney | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A truck driver from Alamo, Texas, has pleaded guilty to human smuggling charges. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei made the announcement following the plea by 33-year-old Eusebio Cavazos.
Cavazos was apprehended on December 13, 2024, when he drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. During an initial inspection, a K-9 unit detected potential human presence in the trailer. Authorities subsequently discovered 36 illegal aliens inside.
The group included 15 individuals from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico, and three from El Salvador. All were found to be illegally present in the United States. Among them were five individuals who had previously been deported and now face charges for illegal re-entry.
Cavazos confessed that he was hired to transport the individuals from near Donna to Houston and expected to earn $1,000 per person for his efforts.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei remarked on the dangers associated with smuggling people in such conditions: "As we have unfortunately seen in prior instances, smuggling of people via a tractor trailer is extremely dangerous and can lead to mass casualties." He added that efforts by the Department of Justice aim to reduce both border smuggling activities and demand for smugglers.
Sentencing is scheduled for May 15 under U.S. District Judge David Morales. Cavazos could face up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Until then, he remains in custody.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is handling the prosecution.
