United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

Three Plead Guilty to Transporting Aliens Near San Angelo, Texas

One of Aliens Transported in Vehicle Was Killed
When the Vehicle Rolled in Traffic Accident

Three men pled guilty yesterday in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, to transporting illegal aliens for private financial gain and aiding and abetting, announced U.S. Attorney Richard B. Roper. Jorge Luis Castro-Garcia, Jesse Cano and Agustin Anorga, all of Cleburne, Texas, entered their guilty pleas before the Honorable Sam R. Cummings, United States District Judge. Each of the defendants faces a maximum statutory sentence of 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Following the plea of guilty, Judge Cummings ordered a pre-sentence investigation with sentencing to be scheduled after that investigation is completed.

According to documents filed in Court, Jorge Luis Castro-Garcia, a citizen of Mexico lawfully residing in the United States, recruited Jesse Cano and Agustin Anorgo, both U.S. citizens, to transport illegal aliens for money. The three met in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico, and finalized plans for transporting the aliens. They had been in contact with the aliens and had arranged to pick them up after the aliens were illegally crossed into the U.S. The aliens were to pay Castro-Garcia $1,500 each to be smuggled into the United States and transported to Cleburne, Texas, and Castro-Garcia was to pay Cano and Anorga for their assistance when the aliens arrived safely in Cleburne.

On March 18, 2006, Castro-Carcia, Cano and Anorga picked up approximately 11 to 13 Mexican nationals, illegally in the United States, near Del Rio, Texas. They used three vehicles for this venture and were taking the aliens to the Cleburne, Texas, area to work. After picking up the aliens at the border, the three men had the aliens walk around the immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 277 near Del Rio, in order to avoid their detection. They then picked them up again after the checkpoint and put them in a red Ford Explorer, driven by Anorga, and a gray pickup truck, driven by Cano. Castro-Garcia led the way in a white Suburban, but in Sonora, Texas, the aliens in the gray pickup truck were transferred to the white Suburban. After the transfer, Cano took the lead in the gray pickup truck, followed by Anorga in the red Explorer, and Castro in the white Suburban.

At one point, Cano lost sight of Anorga and pulled over to wait for him. Cano turned around and discovered that Anorga’s vehicle had crashed near El Dorado, Texas. It was later determined that a worn tire on the vehicle blew out and caused the red Explorer to roll. Cano and Anorga tried to assist the injured aliens and went to a nearby ranch to summon help. Castro-Garcia eventually went back to the scene of the accident, but left when law enforcement arrived. Cano and Anorga then left the scene as well.

One of the illegal aliens was killed in the accident and one was seriously injured. The other aliens from the red Explorer ran into the brush after the accident, but some were eventually found.

Cano and Angora caught up with Castro-Garcia about 80 miles down the highway in Brady, Texas. Castro-Garcia had dropped off four illegal alines near the scene of the accident and wanted to return and pick them up. Cano and Castro-Garcia returned to the area in the white Suburban and found the four illegal aliens while Anorga traveled on to Cleburne in the gray pickup truck. Cano and Castro-Garcia were traveling on a small highway near the accident site in order to avoid detection when the Schleicher County Sheriff stopped them.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Schleicher and Menard County Sheriff’s Offices. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise Williams of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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