A Guatemalan national living illegally in Houston has been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison for his role in a human smuggling operation, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Junior Morales-Chutan, 33, pleaded guilty on April 24 to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett also ordered three years of supervised release following the prison term. As Morales-Chutan is not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence.
“As this office has pointed out several times before, the human smuggling business is ruthless, inhumane, and sometimes deadly,” said Ganjei. “This case shows how those who make their living smuggling and warehousing human beings have no respect for the safety or dignity of their fellow man. Don’t put your life, or the lives of your loved ones, in their hands. Stay home and stay safe.”
Authorities reported that Morales-Chutan operated a stash house in Houston where people who had been smuggled into the United States were held against their will using weapons and threats by associates involved in the scheme. He was responsible for collecting payments related to the operation.
In one instance from August 2023, a father paid $25,000 for his two children’s transportation from Guatemala to the United States but was later told by Morales-Chutan that an additional $32,500 ransom was required for their release. The threat included turning them over to a cartel if payment was not made by day’s end.
Law enforcement located firearms, cash and records related to human smuggling at a residence on Tanager Street in Houston during their investigation.
The individuals held at the stash house were eventually released and identified Morales-Chutan as being responsible for running it; they indicated up to 20 other people had been kept there at various times.
Morales-Chutan himself had previously been removed from the United States but reentered unlawfully about 18 months before committing these offenses. He will remain in custody until transferred to a facility under the U.S. Bureau of Prisons.
The case was investigated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Day.
