DEL RIO, Texas — A 36-year-old man from Eagle Pass has been sentenced to 212 months in federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens, resulting in serious bodily injury and endangering lives.
Juan Antonio Flores coordinated smuggling operations for an alien smuggling organization (ASO), earning $4,000 per alien smuggled from Mexico to San Antonio, according to court documents. The smuggled individuals were often transported to Austin, where co-conspirator Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez would receive them. Flores and Gonzalez collaborated on 15-20 smuggling events. Another co-conspirator, Armando Garcia-Martinez, also known as “Leche,” served as a driver, conducting an average of two to three smuggling trips weekly.
In one incident, the ASO held a family of illegal aliens hostage, demanding payments from their relatives via electronic wire transfers. The family included a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child. On July 9, 2023, a relative paid at least $1,000 due to threats against the family, yet the ASO continued to demand payments to various accounts for their release.
Flores was indicted on April 24, 2024, and arrested on June 12, 2024. He pleaded guilty on October 7, 2024. Co-defendants Edwin Alredo Barrientos-Mateo, also known as “Waches,” and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya received sentences of 360 months and 180 months, respectively. Other co-defendants have pleaded guilty and await sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.
The investigation was conducted by ICE Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol, and the Texas Department of Public Safety, with assistance from the Eagle Pass Police Department, Austin Police Department, Houston Police Department, and the Comal County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat illegal immigration, dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect communities from violent crime.