Ivan Dario Puga-Moreno, Deadly Smuggling, Texas 2019

A deadly smuggling attempt that left six people dead and 10 injured in Robstown, Texas, has resulted in a 10-year prison sentence for Ivan Dario Puga-Moreno, a 31-year-old Mexican citizen.

On June 5, 2019, authorities discovered a wrecked Chevrolet Suburban in a ditch in Robstown, where six people were found deceased and 10 more required hospitalization due to their significant injuries.

According to the investigation, Puga-Moreno was attempting to smuggle a total of 18 undocumented immigrants with the assistance of Agustin Gutierrez-Gonzalez, Elena Ruiz, and Mayra Chaver.

Puga-Moreno pleaded guilty on February 2 to conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens into the United States causing death or serious bodily injury.

At the time of his plea, Puga-Moreno admitted he was driving the vehicle and evading police. He fled to Houston in an attempt to avoid arrest, but was subsequently apprehended on June 6.

U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos upwardly departed from the U.S. Sentencing guidelines and ordered Puga-Moreno to serve a total of 120 months in prison. Following his imprisonment, Puga-Moreno is expected to face removal proceedings due to his non-U.S. citizenship.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Corpus Christi Police Department, and Nueces County Sheriff's Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeremy Carl Fugate is prosecuting the case.

Puga-Moreno's co-defendants, Ruiz, Chaver, and Gutierrez-Gonzalez, also pleaded guilty, admitting they helped Puga-Moreno flee and evade arrest after the crash. They are set for sentencing at a later date.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdtx/pr/driver-sentenced-deadly-robstown-crash