Sex offender sentenced for transporting illegal alien Publisher: U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas Dateline: Corpus Christi, Texas Date: 20 March 2025 Subjects: American Government , Crime

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A 36-year-old Brownsville man has been ordered to prison for unlawfully transporting an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

A federal jury deliberated for approximately 40 minutes before finding Juan Andres Vasquez guilty Nov. 6, 2024, following a one-day trial.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales has now ordered Vasquez to serve 21 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. At the hearing, the court heard additional evidence that Vasquez is a lifetime sex offender with a troubling criminal history including assault.

On Aug. 2, 2024, Vasquez drove to the Javier Vega Jr. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint accompanied by two individuals. After an immigration inspection, authorities determined the front-seat passenger was illegally present in the United States. 

At trial, Vasquez claimed the illegal alien asked him for a ride. However, the illegal alien testified that Vasquez told him to hide his Mexican identification card. Testimony also revealed he was dropped off at a location where Vasquez was waiting for him.

Vasquez will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

BP conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Liesel Roscher and Ashley A. Pruitt prosecuted the case.

Updated March 20, 2025