CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS – A desperate attempt to bypass a Border Patrol checkpoint by concealing human cargo inside furniture landed Yabar Ayan Portes-Arevalo, 23, of Katy, Texas, a 21-month federal prison sentence. U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick announced the conviction following a guilty plea entered on February 18, 2019.
The scheme unraveled December 10, 2018, when Portes-Arevalo approached the primary inspection lane at a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint near Sarita, Texas. Driving a Ford F-150, the truck bed was loaded with a couch and dresser, both heavily wrapped in plastic. Agents immediately noted Portes-Arevalo’s visible nervousness during the routine inspection. That unease prompted a deeper look – an x-ray scan of the vehicle.
The scan revealed anomalies within the furniture. Agents didn’t hesitate. They removed the plastic coverings to find three undocumented aliens crammed inside the couch and a further three stuffed inside the dresser, which had been crudely nailed shut. The conditions were, to put it mildly, inhumane. Senior U.S. District Judge John Rainey clearly agreed, finding that Portes-Arevalo endangered the lives of those he was smuggling.
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision. The meticulous wrapping, the nailed-shut dresser… this was a calculated attempt to circumvent the law and profit from human desperation. While the sentence is 21 months, Portes-Arevalo’s legal troubles aren’t over. As a legal permanent resident, he now faces the very real possibility of losing his status in the United States and deportation following his release from prison.
The Border Patrol investigation quickly brought the operation to light and built the case against Portes-Arevalo. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cody Barnes successfully prosecuted the case, securing the conviction and subsequent sentencing. Portes-Arevalo is currently in custody awaiting transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, the location of which will be determined in the coming days.
Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing efforts to combat human smuggling along the southern border. The exploitation of vulnerable individuals for profit will not be tolerated, and those who engage in such criminal activity will be brought to justice. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers faced by both those being smuggled and the agents tasked with securing our borders.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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