A federal judge sentenced a 27-year-old Pharr, Texas, resident to eight years in federal prison for his role in a migrant smuggling operation that authorities suspect may have moved thousands of migrants from the border region into the interior of the United States.
U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas Alamdar S. Hamdani announced the sentencing on Wednesday of Anthony Lenard Williams, who pled guilty in April to Conspiracy to Transport Undocumented Aliens. At the sentencing hearing, the court learned that while out on bond, Williams continued to coordinate the smuggling of undocumented migrants.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos ordered Williams to serve 96 months in federal prison, immediately followed by two years of supervised release. According to U.S. Attorney Hamdani, Williams was found responsible for smuggling at least 560 undocumented aliens. This only accounts for those authorities have apprehended, meaning Williams could have played a role in smuggling thousands of migrants into the United States.
Some of the loads of undocumented migrants included as many as 115 people in the back of a tractor-trailer, at times including unaccompanied minors. In one smuggling attempt, some of the people had to be treated for dehydration. As reported by Breitbart Texas, smuggling migrants in closed truck trailers is perhaps the most dangerous method authorities encounter along the southwest border. In one instance, 53 migrants perished after succumbing to intense heat and lack of oxygen after being sealed into a closed tractor-trailer in 2022.
Authorities began investigating an organization responsible for smuggling thousands of undocumented migrants in tractor-trailers during the summer of 2021. Through the course of that investigation, law enforcement identified Miguel Angel Hernandez and Williams as coordinators.
Hernandez, 26, of Donna, Texas, was previously sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in the migrant smuggling organization. The investigation led authorities to believe Hernandez’s role in the organization’s leadership was higher ranking than that of Williams.
After pleading guilty, Williams was released on bond to await sentencing. He was taken into custody following the sentencing hearing, where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined soon.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated with the assistance of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara J. De Peña prosecuted the case.
