Truck driver pleads guilty to smuggling 36 illegal aliens in trailer Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas Dateline: Corpus Christi, Texas Date: 13 February 2025 Subjects: American Government , Crime, Trucking Topic: Eusebio Cavazos

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 33-year-old Alamo resident has admitted to charges of human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

On Dec. 13, 2024, Eusebio Cavazos drove a tractor-trailer into the primary inspection lane at the Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita. Upon initial inspection, a K-9 alerted to the possible presence of humans in the trailer.

Authorities referred him to secondary where they discovered 36 illegal aliens in the back of the trailer and nothing else.

A total of 15 were from Guatemala, 10 from Honduras, eight from Mexico and three from El Salvador. All were illegally present in the United States, five of whom had allegedly been previously removed and have pending charges for illegal re-entry.

Cavazos admitted someone had hired him to drive all 36 illegal aliens from a point near Donna to Houston.

He expected to receive $1,000 per alien he was transporting.

“As we have unfortunately seen in prior instances, smuggling of people via a tractor trailer is extremely dangerous and can lead to mass casualties,” said Ganjei. “As the Department of Justice works to secure the border and bring down demand for smugglers, we simultaneously expect to see a decrease in the number of people transported through such means.”

U.S. District Judge David Morales will impose sentencing May 15. At that time, Cavazos faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 possible fine.

Cavazos has been and will remain in custody pending that hearing.

Homeland Security Investigations and BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith is prosecuting the case.

Updated February 13, 2025