A federal jury in Del Rio has convicted a Luling man for his role in a human smuggling operation.
Bryant Anthony Garcia, 19, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and one count of illegal alien transportation for profit, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
The conviction stems from an incident on October 1, 2024, when Garcia was a passenger in a vehicle driven by co-defendant Juan Angel Soberanes, 18, of Luling, at a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Del Rio.
Soberanes was instructed to advance to secondary inspection when a second vehicle, driven by co-defendant Carlos Daniel Martinez, 25, of Fort Worth, arrived at the checkpoint.
Martinez’s vehicle was occupied by a fourth defendant, Mexican national Joel Hernandez-Ortiz, 26, in the front passenger seat and two illegal aliens sitting in the rear passenger seats.
Garcia stated in an interview with agents that he and Soberanes had traveled to Eagle Pass to scout for law enforcement and facilitate the smuggling of two illegal aliens.
He admitted that he expected to receive $2,000 for his efforts, according to the statement.
Co-defendants Hernandez-Ortiz and Martinez pleaded guilty on January 13, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, while Soberanes pleaded guilty on February 10, 2025, to the same charge.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
The U.S. Border Patrol is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Matt Kass are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Justice system to repel the invasion of illegal immigration and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Related Federal Cases
- Joceline Esmeralda Garcia, Human Smuggling, Texas 2019 · Texas
- Marco Antonio Nava Jr, Human Smuggling, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Adan Hernandez-Nunez, Human Smuggling for Rape, Texas 2016 · Texas
- Joseph Edmond Cleveland, Human Smuggling, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Reynaldo Lerma-Pichardo, Human Smuggling and Hostage Taking, Texas 2017 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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