CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Beaver, Oklahoma, man faces federal charges after authorities discovered 42 migrants concealed inside his tractor-trailer at a South Texas Border Patrol checkpoint.
Juan Nasario-Reyes, 43, is charged with smuggling numerous undocumented migrants and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting U.S. Attorney John G.E. Marck announced.
Nasario-Reyes is set to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jason B. Libby on May 19 at 9:40 a.m.
On May 16, Nasario-Reyes allegedly drove a white Volvo tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol checkpoint in Sarita, where authorities noticed his nervous behavior. He claimed his vehicle was empty and that he was alone, but a K-9 alerted to the sleeper portion of the tractor and the front of the trailer, according to the complaint.
At secondary inspection, law enforcement discovered 4 migrants concealed inside the cab area and 38 more inside the trailer.
The charges further allege the trailer had been latched shut from the outside with no means for the individuals inside to open the doors or escape.
A subsequent search allegedly revealed water bottles, trash, a cushion and a bucket for urination inside the trailer. The temperature inside the trailer was approximately 92.5 degrees, according to the complaint.
The migrants are from Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Cuba and Brazil, according to the charges.
Authorities also allegedly located approximately 16 grams of methamphetamine, a glass pipe and a glass funnel inside a headphone box in the cab area.
If convicted of the human smuggling offenses, Nasario-Reyes faces up to five years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The drug charges carry a maximum sentence of 40 years.
A total of 13 of the migrants face either illegal entry or reentry charges, while the remaining are expected to be immediately removed from the country.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Izaak Bruce is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations and protect communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
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