Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Mexican national residing illegally in Laredo, Texas, has admitted to charges of unlawful reentry and human smuggling. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Jesus Hernandez-Herrera, who has been removed from the United States on five previous occasions, was under surveillance by law enforcement on December 10, 2024. He was driving a Ford Expedition alongside a Cadillac in an area known for human smuggling activities on Clark Boulevard in Laredo. At an intersection, three suspected illegal aliens approached the vehicles.
Authorities tracked the Ford Expedition to a residence on Green Street. There, they observed suspected illegal aliens entering the vehicle. When officers tried to initiate a traffic stop, Hernandez-Herrera led them on a high-speed chase, reaching speeds of up to 95 miles per hour through heavy traffic.
The chase concluded when Hernandez-Herrera collided with two other vehicles on Santa Maria Avenue. He and four suspects fled on foot, but Hernandez-Herrera was detained before crossing onto the southbound lanes of Interstate 35.
Hernandez-Herrera acknowledged his actions and admitted there were additional undocumented individuals at the Green Street residence. Law enforcement found four more people illegally in the country and approximately 50.8 kilograms of marijuana there.
U.S. Attorney Ganjei stated, "This is precisely the type of dangerous behavior we need to deter through vigorous enforcement of our immigration laws. Here you have human smuggling, drugs, high-speed flight from officers, and a car crash. The Laredo community shouldn’t have to bear the brunt of such reckless criminality, and the Southern District of Texas is working hard to make sure they don’t have to. Similar offenders will find themselves in the same position, that being federal charges and a long prison stay."
Sentencing will be determined by U.S. District Judge John Kazen at a later date. Hernandez-Herrera faces up to 20 years in prison along with a potential fine of $250,000. He will remain in custody awaiting sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is handling the prosecution.
