A 43-year-old Oklahoma truck driver has been charged in an alleged human smuggling attempt after authorities discovered 42 illegal aliens inside a locked tractor-trailer near a South Texas Border Patrol checkpoint, federal prosecutors said.
Juan Nasario-Reyes, of Beaver, Oklahoma, faces charges of smuggling illegal aliens and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.
Authorities said Nasario-Reyes drove a white Volvo tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita on May 16. Investigators alleged he appeared nervous during questioning and told authorities the truck was empty and that he was traveling alone.
According to the criminal complaint, a K-9 unit alerted agents to the sleeper area of the tractor and the front portion of the trailer, prompting a secondary inspection.
Law enforcement officers allegedly found four illegal aliens concealed inside the cab area and another 38 inside the trailer.
Prosecutors said the trailer had been latched shut from the outside, leaving those inside with no way to open the doors or escape.
Investigators also reported finding water bottles, trash, a cushion, and a bucket used for urination inside the trailer. Authorities said the temperature inside the trailer was about 92.5 degrees at the time of the discovery.
According to the charges, the illegal aliens were from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Cuba, and Brazil.
Authorities also allegedly discovered about 16 grams of methamphetamine, along with a glass pipe and a glass funnel, inside a headphone box in the cab area.
Nasario-Reyes was scheduled to make his initial appearance Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby in Corpus Christi.
If convicted on the human smuggling charges, he faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine. The drug charge carries a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison.
Federal prosecutors said 13 of the illegal aliens are facing charges related to illegal entry or reentry into the United States, while the remaining individuals are expected to be removed from the country.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce is prosecuting the case.
The Justice Department said the case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations.
