⏱ 2 min read
Two men from the McAllen area in Texas are accused of running a human smuggling ring, picking up and exploiting illegal aliens. Yahaniel Somoza allegedly transported at least two groups of migrants to a local mechanic shop, where authorities found 15 people. Fidel Cantu-Mendez was charged with picking up 13 migrants near the Rio Grande, then fleeing and leaving them to run.
Among 446 new cases filed in Operation Tack Back America, 169 people face charges of illegal entry, while 242 allegedly re-entered the US after prior removal. 33 are accused of human smuggling, and three cases relate to firearms crimes. The defendants have prior convictions for narcotics, violent crime, and other immigration violations.
One defendant, Andrei Eduardo Mayorga Oliva, is a Honduran male with a prior conviction for carnal knowledge of a child. He was sentenced to three years in prison before his removal in May 2025.
The charges carry serious penalties: up to 10 years in prison for Somoza, and up to five years for Cantu-Mendez. Authorities will continue to crack down on human smuggling and immigration crimes in Southern Texas.
Related Federal Cases
- Adan Hernandez-Nunez, Human Smuggling for Rape, Texas 2016 · New Mexico
- Juan Hernandez, Alien Smuggling, Texas 2020 · Mississippi
- Juan Carlos Hernandez, Alien Smuggling, New York 2020 · Vermont
- Juan Carlos Hernandez, Smuggling Cocaine, California 2020 · New York
- Marco Antonio Nava Jr, Human Smuggling, Texas 2024 · Mississippi
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: Human Trafficking
- Defendant: Texas
- Location: TX
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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