A Mexican national, Alejandro Hernandez-Alcudia, was sentenced on Mar. 9 to 70 months in federal prison for his involvement in a human smuggling operation that resulted in the death of a migrant, according to U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to combat human smuggling and related crimes along the southern border. Hernandez-Alcudia pleaded guilty on Nov. 24, 2025, admitting he guided migrants across the Rio Grande and through dangerous terrain under cartel direction.
U.S. District Judge Diana Saldana handed down the sentence after noting that Hernandez-Alcudia made a deliberate decision to leave behind an ill member of the group, which led to the man's death from heat stroke. The incident occurred near El Cenizo on Aug. 1, 2025, when authorities apprehended four migrants who reported running out of water hours earlier and being abandoned by their guide when one became sick.
Hernandez-Alcudia admitted he had been working as a guide for at least three months and took orders from an individual linked to Cartel del Noreste. He is expected to face removal proceedings after serving his sentence and will remain in custody until transferred to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol, with prosecution led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Day. The arrest is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, which aims to dismantle criminal cartels and trafficking rings operating within and outside U.S. borders.
The Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), which supports this prosecution effort, has resulted in more than 440 arrests and over 390 convictions related to high-impact human smuggling cases since its inception. JTFA brings together resources from multiple agencies including ICE-HSI, Customs and Border Protection, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and others.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas has included notable figures such as Alamdar Hamdani and Ryan Patrick among its former leaders according to the official history page. The office operates locations in Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website.
Serving under the Attorney General as part of the Department of Justice according to its official website, the office employs more than 200 attorneys covering 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million as detailed on its official website. Its primary focus is prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil cases for the government according to its official website. Alamdar Hamdani served as U.S. Attorney from 2022 to 2025 as noted on its official history page.
Broader efforts like those undertaken by JTFA are expected to continue targeting leaders of transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling throughout North America.
