A 51-year-old Needville, Texas, man was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for smuggling 10 undocumented immigrants in his tractor-trailer.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered the sentence for Robert Martinez Jr., which will be followed by three years of supervised release. During the hearing, the court heard additional information regarding Martinez's prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance.
In handing down the sentence, the court considered the dangerous conditions in which Martinez transported the immigrants. Two were concealed inside a storage compartment beneath four others, making escape impossible.
Martinez pleaded guilty May 20.
On March 9, Martinez drove a tractor-trailer to a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. When law enforcement questioned him about his cargo, he claimed he was transporting onions and agreed to a scan of the vehicle. The scan revealed anomalies in the tractor cab.
Upon further inspection, law enforcement discovered 10 undocumented immigrants concealed on the top bunk, beneath a blanket on the lower bunk, and inside a storage compartment underneath it.
Authorities observed that those found inside the compartment were sweating and had flushed faces.
The undocumented immigrants identified Martinez as the driver of the tractor-trailer.
Martinez is in custody and will remain there pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined.
