Three individuals were sentenced on Apr. 23 for their roles in a transnational human smuggling operation that led to the death of a Guatemalan man and other dangerous incidents, according to Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck.
The sentencing highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat organized human smuggling across the southern border of Texas, an issue that has resulted in fatalities and serious injuries among migrants.
Dagoberto Mizzael Flores from Laredo received a sentence of 60 months, while Mexican nationals David Alejandro Gomez-Flores and Martha Angelica Limon Parra were sentenced to 240 months and 135 months respectively. Gomez-Flores and Parra are expected to face removal proceedings after serving their sentences. The court heard evidence about multiple instances where migrants had to be rescued or suffered injuries during transport, as well as details about Gomez-Flores’ ties with Los Fantasmas, a gang working with Cartel del Noreste.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo described the operation as extensive and lucrative, involving thousands of people moved illegally into the United States. The organization generated approximately $79,000 in one week alone through its activities.
Evidence presented showed that Mexico-based coordinators used WhatsApp group chats titled “La Oficina” for organizing logistics, maintained detailed records using spreadsheets, and instructed Guatemalan migrants to falsely claim Mexican nationality so they could be more easily returned over the border if apprehended. In July 2024, one migrant died from heat exhaustion after being left behind during an attempted escape from authorities; others suffered injuries including serious back trauma following a rollover crash linked to the same group.
This case is part of broader initiatives such as Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) South Texas—created by Executive Order 14159—to eliminate criminal cartels and trafficking organizations through interagency collaboration among federal law enforcement agencies. The Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), another key partner in this effort, has contributed to over 455 arrests related to alien smuggling or trafficking networks impacting public safety across several countries.
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas is part of the U.S. Department of Justice under the Attorney General according to its official website. Its offices are located throughout Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Laredo, McAllen and Brownsville as described on its official website, employing more than 200 attorneys who cover cases across 43 counties with a population exceeding nine million according to official information. The office focuses on prosecuting federal crimes and handling civil matters for the government as noted on its website.
Notable past leaders include Alamdar Hamdani (2022-2025) and Ryan Patrick according to its history page.
