Rachel C. Hernandez Acting United States Attorney for the District of Arizona | U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona
Cesar Abraam Velasquez-Munoz, a 20-year-old resident of Peoria, has been sentenced to 52 months in prison by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez. This sentence follows his involvement in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom died after jumping from a moving vehicle. Velasquez-Munoz had earlier pleaded guilty to charges related to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit, which placed lives in jeopardy and resulted in death.
The incident occurred on March 6, 2024, when Velasquez-Munoz and co-defendant Steven Beltran-Lugo picked up two illegal aliens near the Mexican border with plans to smuggle them further into the United States. While driving, they communicated with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator. Upon noticing Border Patrol agents following their vehicle, Velasquez-Munoz instructed the passengers to exit the car. The first alien jumped out while the car was moving at approximately 45 miles per hour. Velasquez-Munoz then accelerated as the second alien attempted to exit, resulting in severe injuries that led to his death two days later.
This case is part of efforts by Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), a collaboration involving the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) aimed at dismantling human smuggling networks impacting U.S. borders. JTFA includes members from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border and receives support from various Justice Department components such as the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and others.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted this investigation, while prosecution was managed by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson.
