Yudelvis Alberto Jimenez-Elvirez, Alien Smuggling, Texas 2015

LAREDO, Texas – In a shocking display of brazen disregard for the law, Yudelvis Alberto Jimenez-Elvirez, a 29-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen from Cuba, has been ordered to federal prison following his convictions in two separate cases involving the smuggling of illegal aliens.

Jimenez-Elvirez, who had been residing in Louisville, Kentucky, entered a guilty plea on October 7, 2015, to smuggling illegal aliens and was released on bond. That same evening, he was arrested again on similar charges, raising serious concerns about the ease with which smugglers can operate in the state.

He went to trial in that case and was convicted on December 16, 2015, after only 15 minutes of deliberation. This conviction marked the second time Jimenez-Elvirez had been found guilty of alien smuggling, highlighting the need for greater vigilance in the face of such organized crime.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo, who presided over the trial, handed Jimenez-Elvirez a total 97-month sentence to run concurrently on both cases. This sentence sends a clear message that the courts will not tolerate such egregious crimes.

Jimenez-Elvirez’s co-conspirator, Ricardo Gallo, a 31-year-old U.S. permanent resident alien also from Cuba, was also sentenced today. He will serve 41 months in prison and must pay a $5,000 fine. This sentence serves as a reminder that those who aid and abet alien smugglers will also face serious consequences.

The investigation into Jimenez-Elvirez and Gallo’s activities was led by the U.S. Border Patrol and Homeland Security investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the cases, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Shawn Coker handling the sentencing hearing today.

The case against Jimenez-Elvirez and Gallo serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by alien smuggling operations. The fact that these individuals were able to be convicted and sentenced to prison is a testament to the hard work and dedication of law enforcement agencies in the state.

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