U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney Jaime E. Esparza | U.S. Department of Justice
Four individuals have been arrested in El Paso, Texas, facing criminal charges for their alleged involvement in a human smuggling conspiracy. The arrests followed surveillance operations by agents from the Ysleta Border Patrol Station’s Disrupt Unit at an El Paso motel.
Court documents reveal that agents observed a vehicle with a temporary license plate, previously seen at other hotels known for harboring undocumented noncitizens. The driver entered the motel lobby briefly before departing.
Agents later noticed three individuals leaving a motel room and entering another vehicle with a temporary license plate. The driver, Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, reportedly admitted to being an illegal Mexican national in the United States. His companions, Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo and Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, were also found to be illegally present in the U.S., and they confirmed that more undocumented noncitizens were inside the motel room.
Further investigation led to the discovery of seven additional undocumented noncitizens who were subsequently arrested. During this time, agents observed the first vehicle's driver returning to the motel and knocking on the door of the room where arrests had occurred. Jesus David Reyes-Villagran allegedly admitted ownership of the motel room and confessed to dropping off five other undocumented noncitizens at another hotel in El Paso.
The four suspects—Aguilar-Flores, Carrillo-Carrillo, Lopez-Acevedo, and Reyes-Villagran—are charged with bringing in and transporting aliens. They each face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas. The U.S. Border Patrol is leading the investigation while Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Wang is prosecuting the case.
It is important to note that a criminal complaint is merely an allegation; all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
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