Mexican alien-smuggling boss pleads guilty in Houston to harboring, transport(update)

I.C.E. News Release

HUMAN SMUGGLING/TRAFFICKING

04/27/2015

Mexican alien-smuggling boss pleads guilty in Houston to harboring, transporting illegal aliens

Responsible for holding 115 people against their will in small Houston stash house in 2014

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Mexican man, who was responsible for holding 115 smuggled aliens against their will in a small Houston stash house in 2014, pleaded guilty in federal court Monday for his role in a conspiracy to harbor and transport illegal aliens.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Homero Gonzalez-Carranza, 30, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to being a boss for transporting illegal aliens from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston from January 2007 until January 2015. Illegal aliens were harbored at stash houses in Houston until being transported to their final destinations throughout the United States. During the conspiracy, illegal aliens suffered injuries during transport, such as during high-speed chases and vehicles crashes.

In one instance on March 19, 2014, 115 illegal aliens were discovered in a small house in Houston. They were held against their will at the 1400 square foot stash house with boarded up windows and doors. It is estimated that thousands of illegal aliens were transported and harbored during this conspiracy.

“Those responsible for supporting smuggling and harboring illegal aliens place personal profit ahead of public safety and border security,” said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. “The results of this case should remind those involved in this dangerous trade that their illegal actions come at a high price.”

Gonzalez-Carranza is scheduled to be sentenced July 14. At that time, Gonzalez-Carranza faces up to 20 years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/me...orting-illegal

Previously Deported Illegal Alien Imprisoned for Smuggling Thousands of Illegal Aliens

by Ildefonso Ortiz
21 Aug 2015

A previously deported illegal alien has been sent to prison for his role as the leader of a human smuggling organization. Prosecutors claim the group is responsible for smuggling thousands of illegal immigrants into the U.S.

On Thursday afternoon, Homero Gonzalez Carranza, a 30-year-old previously deported illegal alien from Mexico, went before U.S. District Judge Hayden Head who sentenced him to 12 and a half years in prison to be followed by yet another deportation.

Gonzalez oversaw the transportation of illegal aliens from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston, information provided to Breitbart Texas by the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed.

He had previously been deported in 2012 for being in the U.S. illegally.

The illegal aliens were harbored in stash houses in Houston until being sent to their final destination. According to prosecutors, in the operation of the criminal organization various illegal immigrants were hurt following high speed chases and crashes.

In one case in April 23, 2014, a driver for the organization drove a vehicle with five immigrants near Premont, Texas, when authorities tried to apprehend him. In the chase that followed soon after, the driver reached speeds in excess of 100 miles per hour before crashing into tree injuring several of the immigrants. Premont is located about 100 miles from the border and is a short distance north of the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint in Brooks County.

In one case, on March 19, 2014, 115 illegal aliens were being held against their will in a 1400 square feet Houston house with boarded up windows and doors. Breitbart Texas reported extensively on this incident last year.

Gonzalez organization was operational from January 2007 until January 2015 which is around the time when he was arrested at his Houston home following a year-long investigation into the organization.

http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/...llegal-aliens/