Siblings sent to prison for roles in human smuggling scheme

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas

Two individuals have been sentenced for their roles in a Laredo human smuggling conspiracy, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Laredo resident Carlos Alberto Gonzalez, 23, and his sister Erika Yazbett Mendoza-Gonzalez, 36, a Mexican citizen illegally residing in Laredo, both pleaded guilty July 8.

U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo has now imposed a 46-month term of imprisonment for Gonzalez, while Mendoza-Gonzalez received 57 months. Both must also serve three years of supervised release following their sentence, although Mendoza-Gonzalez, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings following her imprisonment. At the hearing, the court also noted Gonzalez had previously been sentenced for human smuggling and was still serving his term of supervised release when he committed this offense. The court also ordered Gonzalez to serve a consecutive 10 months for this violation.

In handing down the prison terms, Judge Garcia Marmolejo commented that Gonzalez learned nothing from his last offense and that Mendoza-Gonzalez was highly involved in the smuggling organization. The court also considered the conditions inside the stash house, noting that the siblings regarded the people they harbored as “commodities” and stating, “we just don’t treat human beings like this.”

“No electricity, no running water and no toilet. Human smugglers do not care,” said Hamdani. “No individual should be subjected to such inhumane conditions. This case underscores our commitment to dismantling human smuggling networks that exploit vulnerable individuals, including children.”

On March 7, law enforcement observed Mendoza-Gonzalez pick up three suspected undocumented individuals near the intersection of Kearney Street and McDonnell Avenue in Laredo. Gonzalez was driving another vehicle that appeared to be traveling together with Mendoza-Gonzalez. Law enforcement followed both vehicles to a home on the 2300 block of San Leonardo Avenue where Mendoza-Gonzalez dropped off the individuals before leaving with two others.

Several hours later, they observed a large group of people exiting the backyard of this address and running into a nearby creek. A foot pursuit began, and law enforcement apprehended 20 individuals, all of whom are undocumented aliens from other countries.

Two were unaccompanied minors, ages 13 and 15.

Upon entering the San Leonardo residence, authorities discovered deplorable living conditions. The home had no electricity or running water and large amounts of trash piled up throughout the home. They also observed large tubs of water in the home where the migrants would bathe and relieve themselves.

There have been no utilities in the residence since 2022.

Gonzalez was the stash house operator while Mendoza-Gonzalez was a transporter and delivered food to those harbored inside the home.

On April 23, authorities conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle Mendoza-Gonzalez was driving and found a female back seat passenger covered in mud, with a strong body odor, torn pants and scratch marks all over her arms. She was a Mexican national with no legal status in the United States.

Mendoza-Gonzalez admitted to her involvement with the human smuggling organization and stated she expected to receive $50 per migrant she transported.

Phone communications between Mendoza-Gonzalez and co-conspirators revealed that over only a seven-week period, she was also involved in coordinating the transportation and/or harboring of at least 55 additional individuals.

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

Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol and the Laredo Police Department conducted the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found on the Department of Justice’s OCDETF webpage.

This sentencing is also the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras. The initiative was expanded to Colombia and Panama to combat human smuggling in the Darién in June 2024. JTFA comprises detailees from U.S. attorneys’ offices along the southwest border including the Southern District of California, districts of Arizona and New Mexico and the Western and Southern Districts of Texas. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section, and supported by the Office of Prosecutorial Development, Assistance and Training; Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section; Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section; Office of Enforcement Operations; Office of International Affairs; and the Violent Crime and Racketeering Section. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in over 325 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers and significant facilitators of human smuggling, more than 270 U.S. convictions, more than 210 significant jail sentences imposed and forfeitures of substantial assets.

Assistant U.S. Attorney and JTFA detailee Jennifer Day prosecuted this case.