Nicholas J. Ganjei United States Attorney for the Southern District of Texas | U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas
A Laredo man has pleaded guilty to charges of conspiring to transport illegal aliens, as announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The individual, Anthony Jacob Garza, 24, was observed on April 13 driving a Ford Expedition suspiciously near the U.S.-Mexico border.
Authorities noted Garza's vehicle approximately 20 miles north of the border and tracked it along Texas Highway 44 towards Encinal, where he stopped at a gas station. When questioned by law enforcement, Garza initially claimed to be traveling alone but later admitted to picking up individuals he did not know near a county road.
A consensual search of the SUV revealed three illegal aliens hidden under a blanket in the cargo area. One of them informed authorities that he had agreed to pay $8,500 for smuggling services from Mexico into the United States with San Antonio as their destination. After crossing the Rio Grande River, they traveled through brush to meet Garza at an intersection on U.S. Highway 83.
Garza awaits sentencing by U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña and faces up to ten years in federal prison and a possible fine of $250,000. He remains in custody until his hearing.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Homero Ramirez handled the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
