Two Houston residents have been sentenced for their roles in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. Richard Dell Carroll II, 26, and Josue Isaac Hernandez, also known as Dre, 23, both pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges related to recruiting drivers nationwide for smuggling operations in exchange for payment.
U.S. District Judge David S. Morales sentenced each man to 66 months in federal prison followed by two years of supervised release. During the sentencing hearing, evidence was presented that Carroll misrepresented his background by falsely claiming employment at Tesla and enrollment at Rice University. He portrayed himself as an entrepreneur and financial adviser to those he recruited, offering to invest their illegal proceeds despite lacking any qualifications.
In court, Judge Morales addressed Carroll directly: "he needed to focus on his integrity in the future and that he should not embellish things in person or online because when people believe it, it could lead to fraud."
Testimony revealed that Hernandez used profits from the scheme to finance a luxurious lifestyle that included international travel and private jet flights.
The case highlighted the dangerous conditions faced by those being smuggled. In one incident, authorities found a seven-year-old girl sweating inside a plastic bin after being separated from her mother. In another instance, two young women were discovered hidden inside a fake speaker box in a car trunk where temperatures reached over 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
Law enforcement linked more than 100 apprehended individuals to at least 53 failed smuggling attempts associated with Carroll and Hernandez. The investigation began in December 2022 after authorities repeatedly found illegal aliens concealed in fake speaker boxes or large plastic totes covered with sheets during traffic stops. It was determined that Hernandez and Carroll coordinated these efforts using Instagram and other social media platforms to recruit drivers.
Investigators uncovered shopping lists sent by the defendants to drivers as well as arrangements made for installing fake speaker boxes into vehicles used for smuggling activities. Drivers were charged $1,000 per individual transported as part of the operation.
Both men remain in custody awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility yet to be determined.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Pena prosecuted the case.
