Falfurrias Man Sentenced for Alien Smuggling Scheme That Resulted in Death
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Lewey Martinez, 32, of Falfurrias, has been ordered to prison for his role in an alien smuggling and harboring scheme that resulted in the September 2011 death of a 24-year-old Mexican national, U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.
Martinez pleaded guilty Nov. 14, 2012, to his involvement in a human trafficking operation that led to the tragic death of a young migrant. At a sentencing hearing yesterday afternoon, Senior U.S. District Judge Janis Graham Jack handed Martinez a 115-month sentence.
The gruesome details of the case reveal that Martinez coordinated the transportation of aliens around the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint in Falfurrias for five years. On the evening of September 15, 2011, Martinez arranged for approximately 20 illegal aliens to hike around the checkpoint with the assistance of guides.
After walking around the checkpoint, the aliens were driven to a stash house on Martinez’s property. Shortly after the group’s arrival, two brush guides drove to the stash house with an additional alien who had died, or nearly died, from exposure and dehydration. When it became apparent the victim was deceased, Martinez and two others loaded the victim’s body into a pickup truck and drove it to a public intersection.
Martinez then called the emergency operator from a payphone and directed police to the body. Following his arrest, Martinez admitted his role in the smuggling operation and his involvement in the disposal of Gonzalez’s body. He will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
The investigation leading to the charges in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey D. Preston prosecuted the case.
As Martinez begins his 115-month sentence, the Grimy Times questions the effectiveness of the U.S. government’s response to the ongoing crisis at the border. The tragic death of the young migrant and the sentence handed down to Martinez serve as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of human trafficking.
The Grimy Times will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on this developing story.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Human Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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