Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A 34-year-old resident of Alamo, Texas, has been sentenced to the maximum statutory penalty for smuggling people into the United States from various countries. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Eusebio Cavazos, who pleaded guilty on February 13, has been ordered by U.S. District Judge David Morales to serve 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
The court considered several sentencing enhancements due to Cavazos' actions, which included transporting more than 25 individuals, endangering their lives by locking them in a cold trailer without an escape route, transporting a minor, and utilizing his skills as a truck driver for criminal activities. Judge Morales expressed that he would have imposed a longer sentence if not restricted by the statutory maximum.
On December 13, 2024, Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita. A K-9 unit alerted authorities to potential human presence in the trailer during the initial inspection. Subsequent examination revealed 36 undocumented immigrants inside the locked and sealed trailer with no means of escape in 54-degree conditions.
Among those found were individuals from Guatemala (15), Honduras (10), Mexico (8), and El Salvador (3). All were illegally present in the country; five had previously been deported and now face charges for illegal reentry.
Cavazos admitted that he was hired to transport all 36 individuals from near Donna to Houston and expected $1,000 per person transported.
"Human smuggling is a dangerous, and sometimes deadly, practice," stated Ganjei. "Those that choose to engage in it deserve the maximum punishment available."
Cavazos will remain in custody until his transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility is finalized.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith handled prosecution duties.
This case falls under Operation Take Back America—a national initiative aimed at countering illegal immigration, dismantling cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and safeguarding communities from violent crime perpetrators through coordinated efforts across multiple federal agencies.
