KRISTIAN HERNANDEZ
1 hr ago

McALLEN — A ring of human smugglers accused in the 2014 death of a woman near La Joya were sentenced Monday.

Roberto Carlos Flores-Garcia, also known as Commandante, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to bringing in and harboring aliens in federal court. Flores-Garcia, of Mexico, was accused of leading a smuggling operation with five other individuals and which ended in a deadly rollover on May 16, 2014, near La Joya High School.

Edis Velasquez-Monterosa, was killed and 16 others were injured when Gustavo Vargas, the driver of a Chevrolet Tahoe, tried to outrun police in the SUV loaded with the migrants who had crossed into the country illegally, according to court records.

During questioning, Vargas told agents that he had been hired to move a group of people from the bank of the Rio Grande to a stash house and would get paid $200, according to court records. Investigators said Vargas also admitted to failing to stop for police, losing control of the vehicle and crashing. He also pleaded guilty to bringing in and harboring aliens and was sentenced to four years in prison.

Vargas’ common-law wife, Jennifer Rodriguez, was also indicted in the case accused of scouting for law enforcement while Vargas transported the immigrants believed to have crossed illegally. Rodriguez who is a U.S. citizen had been out on bond and pleaded guilty to one count of bringing in and harboring aliens and was sentenced to time served and three years of supervised release.

Flores-Garcia’s common-law wife, Olga Lydia-Lira, a U.S. citizen, was also sentenced to time served and three years of probation for her role in the human smuggling operation. Angel Martin-Meza, a U.S. citizen, was sentenced to four years in prison and two years of supervised release.

“This sentence sends a clear message that there are serious consequences for those people who have no regard of human life,” said Shane Folden, special agent in charge of HSI San Antonio, in a statement. “Criminals who illegally smuggle people into and throughout the country for personal profit ahead of public safety will receive the full extent of the law. For this reason, HSI will continue to utilize its broad authorities, to dismantle human smuggling organizations.”

All the defendants initially faced four counts of bringing in and harboring aliens, but prosecutors dropped three of the charges in exchange for the defendants’ guilty pleas.

http://www.themonitor.com/news/local...7f65afe40.html