CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Several members of an undocumented migrant smuggling ring have plead guilty to their role in a deadly human smuggling ring.
One of those attempts took place in the Corpus Christi area.
According to U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Juan Manuel Tena, 40, of Pharr, and Julia Isairis Torres, 37, Israel Torres Jr., 34, and Jose Refugio Torres, 27, all of Roma, conspired to transport undocumented migrants from the Rio Grande Valley to destinations within the United States.
As a result of that conspiracy, eight migrants were killed and two others seriously injured.
“Not only did this human smuggler conspire to undermine our nation’s immigration laws for his own personal profit, but eight migrants lost their lives because of his callous and reckless disregard for those who entrusted him,” said HSI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.
A Homeland Security Investigations probe found Tena and his associates attempted to smuggle people by water from South Padre Island to the Corpus Christi area in February 2022.
The watercraft capsized, resulting in the deaths of four migrants and serious injuries to another.
Before making their way to Corpus Christi's shores, the four suspects were in a crash that killed four migrants while attempting to smuggle them from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston in 2019.
According to ICE, which assisted in the investigation, the victims included migrants from Mexico, Guatemala and El Salvador, as well as a 17-year-old boy from Ecuador and a pregnant woman from Honduras.
As part of his plea, Tena admitted to part in the plan and agreed to forfeit several properties in Roma and Pharr that he admitted to purchasing with the proceeds he received from the conspiracy.
As part of their pleas, Julia Torres and Jose Torres both admitted to their involvement in the March 2019 failed human smuggling attempt.
On July 26, Israel Torres also pleaded guilty to his involvement in the March 2019 incident.
U.S. District Judge Roland Olvera accepted the pleas and set sentencing for Dec. 20. At that time, all four face up to life in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.
"Eight people, including a pregnant mother, lost their lives due to their actions,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Like so many others, the victims in this case wanted to come to America for a better life, but Tena and his associates took advantage of them for profit. Now they are going to federal prison.”