Alfredo Torres-Alvarez Sentenced in $1M Smuggling Ring

Alfredo Torres-Alvarez, a 31-year-old undocumented alien from Austin, has been sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for his role in a $1 million human smuggling ring that trafficked hundreds of undocumented individuals into the United States from Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Torres-Alvarez, along with three co-conspirators, admitted to profiting from a vast criminal network that exploited vulnerable migrants for profit.

Elvira Murrillo-Angel, 32, also an undocumented alien residing in Sandia, Texas, was sentenced to 27 months behind bars. She agreed to forfeit $200,000 to federal authorities. Delia Catalina Angel, 31, of Austin, received a two-year sentence as the cell leader of the smuggling operation, while Norma Parra, 32, another Austin resident, was sentenced to one year in prison for her involvement.

All four pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens. As part of their plea agreements, Torres-Alvarez agreed to forfeit $282,000 in illicit proceeds. The operation spanned multiple cities, with key connections in Mexico, San Antonio, and Austin, and relied on coercion, threats, and violence to collect smuggling fees from desperate migrants.

“These sentences clearly illustrate the serious consequences faced by those who attempt to make money by exploiting others,” said Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, San Antonio. “Human smugglers view their clients as nothing more than a payday, and have no qualms about using threats and violence to collect their smuggling fees.”

According to court documents, Delia Catalina Angel directed a sprawling network that coordinated transportation, safe houses, and cross-border logistics. The organization successfully smuggled hundreds of individuals into Central Texas, charging exorbitant fees while operating under the radar for months. Authorities say the ring made more than $1 million in illicit revenue.

The investigation was led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with support from ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations, the Austin Police Department, and the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Galdo prosecuted the case. United States District Judge Lee Yeakel handed down the sentences during a Friday afternoon hearing in Austin.