Hector Aguilar-Portugal, Illegal Alien Smuggling, Texas 2017

Del Rio, TX – In a shocking turn of events, Hector Aguilar-Portugal, a 43-year-old citizen of Mexico, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for his role in an illegal alien smuggling operation that resulted in death.

U.S. District Judge Alia Moses handed down the sentence in a Del Rio courtroom yesterday afternoon, marking the end of a long and grueling investigation.

According to court records, Aguilar-Portugal led three other illegal aliens into the U.S. north of Eagle Pass, Texas in October 2014. Among the group was a former inmate Aguilar-Portugal had met while in prison in Pecos, TX in 2012, as well as the man’s nephew.

During their journey, the four were intercepted by U.S. Border Patrol agents. As they fled from the agents, the defendant and the others crossed a canal. During the crossing, the nephew drowned.

The uncle eventually made it to a highway where he surrendered to Border Patrol agents and told them of the drowning. Agents were able to recover the body of the deceased and arrest the defendant and the other illegal alien.

The uncle identified Aguilar-Portugal as the individual he paid a $500 smuggling fee up front and an agreed $3,000 upon arrival in the U.S.

HSI conducted this investigation, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Keagle prosecuting the case on behalf of the Government.

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