Date: 11-15-2019

Case Style:

Case Number: 5:17-cr-00446

Judge: Marina Garcia Marmolejo

Court: United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas (Webb Coounty)

Plaintiff's Attorney: Francisco J. Rodriguez

Defendant's Attorney:

Call 918-582-6422 if you need help finding a conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens within the United States criminal defense lawyer in Laredo, Texas.

Description: Laredo, TX - The United States of America charged Manuel Joe Reyes with conpiracy to transport undocumented aliens.

A 36-year-old Dallas man has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction conspiracy transport undocumented aliens.

Manuel Joe Reyes pleaded guilty May 10, 2018.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo handed Reyes a 96-month sentence to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.

At the hearing, the court heard testimony regarding how Reyes would recruit drivers and make between $20,000 and $30,000 a week smuggling undocumented aliens. Judge Marmolejo noted Reyes used his intelligence to convince others to commit crime. She admonished him that some of the drivers he hired had been incarcerated themselves.

On May 9, 2017, Darian Wade Humphrey drove up to the United States Border Patrol Checkpoint located on Interstate Highway 35 north of Laredo in a tractor-trailer. At that time, a K-9 alerted to the vehicle. Upon inspection, authorities found 32 individuals locked inside the trailer, all of whom were later determined to be undocumented aliens from Mexico. Four of them were minors between the ages of 15 and 17.

Humphrey admitted Reyes had hired him to transport undocumented aliens from Laredo to San Antonio. Humphrey claimed to have done so on four prior occasions and that he was paid $3,000 per load.

Law enforcement arrested Reyes Dec. 6, 2017, at his home in Dallas. He admitted he had been organizing human smuggling events between Mexico and the United States by hiring drivers and coordinating deliveries. Reyes estimated that between two and three loads of undocumented aliens were smuggled weekly, with each load averaging 20 people. He said he received $10,000 per load and his drivers were paid $3,000.

Humphrey also pleaded guilty. U.S. District Judge Hilda Tagle sentenced him to 37 months with three years of supervised release on Feb. 7, 2018.

Previously released on bond, Reyes was taken into custody following the sentencing today where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation.

Outcome: Sentenced to 96 mos imprs; 3 yrs SRT; all standard and mandatory conditions of supervised release apply; $100.00 Special Assessment; 5,000.00 fine payable 60 days after release payable in 166.00 monthly installments; The Court will impose the additional $5,000.00; mental health treatment and anger management program in BOP/SRT; Court advises USM to get deft designated so that he may continue his medications; Defendant waived right to appeal. Court recommends placement near Dallas area.

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