San Antonio, Texas – In a shocking case of human smuggling, U.S. citizens Jesus Ruiz Murillo and Sebastian Ruiz were arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents near Dilley on Monday. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the agents conducted an immigration inspection on the vehicle while it was stopped at a gas station and discovered six individuals, all determined to be Mexican nationals, hidden in the rear seats of the SUV driven by Ruiz Murillo. The six individuals were allegedly being transported from Crystal City to a stash house in San Antonio for a payment of $1,500 in cash per alien.
Ruiz Murillo and Ruiz, siblings, were charged with transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain. The investigation revealed that at least four of the illegal aliens were paying $6,500 to $7,000 each to be smuggled into the United States. This brazen act of human smuggling has left authorities stunned and raises questions about the extent of human trafficking in the region.
Ruiz Murillo and Ruiz’s arrest is not an isolated incident. In recent weeks, federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas have filed 270 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases. These cases include U.S. citizens arrested on human smuggling charges, illegal alien sex offenders, and numerous illegal aliens arrested across the district with multiple DWI convictions on their record.
Among the new cases, Mexican national Arturo Barrios-Medina was found in the Bexar County Jail after his Sept. 15 arrest on a warrant out of Florida based on a sex offender registration violation. Barrios-Medina was turned over to ICE custody on Sept. 19 and charged with illegal re-entry. The 42-year-old had been convicted in Florida for providing obscene material to minors and possession of child pornography in 2004.
Edmundo Vizcaya, a U.S. citizen, was arrested on human smuggling charges after agents allegedly observed six individuals wearing yellow construction vests attempting to conceal themselves inside Vizcaya’s vehicle. A criminal complaint alleges that the individuals admitted to being illegal aliens and Vizcaya stated he would be paid $500 per alien he transported to a drop-off location he had coordinated with another smuggler.
Others arrested in the Western District of Texas include Mexican nationals Jesus Armando Ramirez-Hernandez, Jordan Lorenzo Zavala-Mendez, Juan Hernandez-Cotzojay, and Hector Martinez Aranda, who were charged with various immigration-related crimes, including illegal re-entry and human smuggling.
The cases highlight the ongoing issue of human trafficking and immigration-related crimes in the Western District of Texas. As the U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to investigate and prosecute these crimes, it is clear that the situation is far more complex than initially thought.
Defendant Information: Jesus Ruiz Murillo, Sebastian Ruiz, Arturo Barrios-Medina, Edmundo Vizcaya, Jesus Armando Ramirez-Hernandez, Jordan Lorenzo Zavala-Mendez, Juan Hernandez-Cotzojay, and Hector Martinez Aranda were all arrested and charged with various immigration-related crimes.
Crime Date: Sept. 19 through 25.
City and State: San Antonio, Texas, and surrounding areas.
Criminal Charges: Transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain, human smuggling, and illegal re-entry.
Sentence or Outcome: Ruiz Murillo and Ruiz are currently being held without bond. Barrios-Medina is being held without bond. Vizcaya is being held without bond. Ramirez-Hernandez, Zavala-Mendez, Hernandez-Cotzojay, and Martinez Aranda are being held without bond.
Dollar Amounts: At least four of the illegal aliens were paying $6,500 to $7,000 each to be smuggled into the United States. Ruiz Murillo and Ruiz were allegedly paid $1,500 in cash per alien.
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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