A 33-year-old smuggler from Tamaulipas, Mexico, has been ordered to federal prison for nearly six years as a result of his conviction of harboring undocumented aliens in Texas. Oscar Ivan Romero-Martinez pleaded guilty on August 6, 2015.
On June 30, 2015, Border Patrol agents were conducting surveillance at an apartment complex in Mission, Texas, when they observed a parked car that had been reported stolen out of Edinburg. They notified local authorities who responded to the location and soon encountered Romero. He fled on foot, but was subsequently apprehended. A total of 16 undocumented aliens were ultimately discovered in one of the apartments where Romero had been harboring them.
The court also considered the testimony of a female undocumented alien from Guatemala whom Romero sexually assaulted on more than one occasion while he harbored her at a location in Mission. Additionally, the court took into consideration the total number of aliens he had harbored at the apartment and that a co-conspirator had brandished a dangerous weapon while the aliens were being harbored.
U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Romero to 71 months imprisonment. The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, and Edinburg Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Linda Requénez prosecuted the case.
Romero’s co-conspirator, Hector De Leon-Ramirez, was also charged with harboring additional undocumented aliens in a building in Mission. De Leon, 44, a citizen of Mexico who held permanent resident alien status and was living in Penitas, later received a sentence of 18 months imprisonment after pleading guilty on September 2, 2015.
The crime of harboring undocumented aliens is a serious offense, and those who engage in this activity can face severe consequences. In this case, Romero’s sentence reflects the severity of his crimes, including the sexual assault of a female migrant.
Defendant: Oscar Ivan Romero-Martinez
Criminal Charges: Harboring Undocumented Aliens
City and State: McAllen, Texas
Date: August 6, 2015 (plea) and 71 months imprisonment (sentence)
Sentence: 71 months imprisonment
Related Federal Cases
- Pedro Silva Segura, Conspiracy to Transport Undocumented Aliens Resulting in Death, Texas 2017 · Texas
- Robert G. Smith, Transporting Undocumented Aliens, Texas 2024 · Minnesota
- Jose Luis Ramos Jr., Conspiracy to Transport Undocumented Aliens, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Demetrio Vallejo, Smuggling Undocumented Aliens, Texas 2013 · Ohio
- Carmelo Diaz-Gopar, Transporting and Harboring Aliens, Texas 2012 · Illinois
Key Facts
- State: Texas
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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