CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The grim aftermath of a botched alien smuggling attempt in Robstown has led to federal charges. Ivan Dario Puga-Moreno, 23, a Mexican National from Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, is accused of unlawful transportation of aliens resulting in death after six people were left dead and nine others hospitalized with serious injuries.
The authorities apprehended Puga-Moreno on June 6, 2019, in Houston. He is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dena Palermo in Houston on June 10 at 10:00 a.m.
In the early hours of June 5, Corpus Christi authorities discovered a mangled Chevrolet Suburban in Robstown’s ditch. Inside were six lifeless bodies and nine seriously injured individuals who were rushed to hospital.
The criminal complaint filed against Puga-Moreno suggests he was driving the vehicle and attempting to smuggle approximately 18 illegal aliens from South Texas to Houston. He allegedly fled the scene following the accident, leaving the immigrants to suffer a惨剧 of unimaginable proportions.
Puga-Moreno is also charged with receiving assistance from a brush guide based in his hometown, according to the complaint. If convicted, he could face the death penalty for his alleged role in this tragic event.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations alongside the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service, Coast Guard, Border Patrol, Robstown and Corpus Christi police departments, Nueces County Sherriff’s Office, and Robstown Fire/Emergency Medical Services Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Cody Barnes and Jeremy Fugate are handling the prosecution.
Remember that a criminal complaint is an accusation of criminal conduct, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.
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Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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