Leader of Alien Smuggling Ring Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison

     TUCSON, Ariz. – On December 11, 2019, Senior U.S. District Judge Raner C. Collins sentenced defendant Audias Sanchez-Colin to 10 years in prison for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit and Illegal Reentry into the United States of a Removed Alien. The defendant was one of 26 codefendants who had been previously charged in this conspiracy.

     From 2016 through 2018, the defendant was the leader of multiple, large-scale alien smuggling organizations. He and his co-defendants smuggled into the United States approximately 150 unlawful aliens, including 13 juveniles. The co-conspirators also laundered over $1 million in fraudulent proceeds from their alien smuggling operations. 

     The investigation was conducted by the Department of Homeland Security Investigations.  The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.