Galdino Jose Ruiz-Hernandez, Alien Smuggling, Texas 2017

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – In a shocking turn of events, a Brownsville federal jury convicted 38-year-old undocumented alien Galdino Jose Ruiz-Hernandez of human smuggling and illegally re-entering the country. The verdict came after a two-day trial held on January 11, 2017.

On April 24, 2015, Ruiz-Hernandez reported to Port of Brownsville authorities that a ‘friend’ told him he saw a female body floating in the Brownsville ship channel. Law enforcement located the body and noticed injuries, leading to Ruiz-Hernandez’s initial arrest for illegally re-entering the U.S. after having been previously deported.

However, investigators soon discovered that Ruiz-Hernandez had actually been guiding the female illegal alien at midnight in the water across the ship channel when they were struck by a Coast Guard boat. Evidence presented at trial showed that he was guiding her on behalf of Gabriel Sanchez-Aburto, 46, who had taken him to Mexico to pick up the woman.

Ruiz-Hernandez and the victim entered the U.S. illegally, walked to the Port of Brownsville ship channel and began crossing the water in darkness. While in the water, a Coast Guard boat struck them. The autopsy revealed the boat’s propeller caused the injuries that resulted in her death.

At the hearing today, additional evidence was presented including that Ruiz-Hernandez had tried to convince another individual to testify falsely that the Coast Guard boat intentionally struck the female alien he was transporting.

As part of the investigation, agents with Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigation (HSI) arrested Sanchez-Aburto on a warrant for the alien smuggling death incident on October 27, 2015. He and others were in the process of smuggling other aliens at the time. Authorities found and detained seven undocumented aliens and arrested three brothers – Lazaro Comunidad-Hernandez, 48, Pablo Comunidad-Hernandez, 25, and Luciano Comunidad-Hernandez, 39, all from Puebla, Mexico.

The brothers were sentenced last year to terms from 10-15 months and are expected to face deportation proceedings following their release from prison. Sanchez-Aburto entered a guilty plea to both alien smuggling charges and was also sentenced today to a total of 87 months imprisonment. Additionally, Judge Hilda Tagle ordered restitution of $6,000 for expenses incurred following the death of the alien.

Ruiz-Hernandez was handed an 80-month sentence for human smuggling and a 24-month sentence for his illegally re-entering the country. Not a U.S. citizen, he is expected to face deportation proceedings following his release from prison. Ruiz-Hernandez and Sanchez-Aburto will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

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