DEL RIO, Texas – A Houston man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 41 months in prison for conspiring to transport illegal aliens in his commercial semi truck, according to an announcement from the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents, Francisco Javier Diaz, 35, was arrested at a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol checkpoint near Eagle Pass on May 3, 2024.
The release stated that while Diaz waited in his semi truck in the inspection lane, a CBP canine conducted a free air sniff and alerted agents to the sleeper compartment of the vehicle.
“Further inspection revealed five people under the mattress in the compartment and an additional man hidden in a compartment on the side of the bed,” the release stated.
All six passengers were determined to be illegal aliens, whom Diaz was transporting from Eagle Pass to Houston.
Diaz was indicted for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, to which he pleaded guilty on Aug. 19, 2024.
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
