Phoenix Man Sentenced to 52 Months in Prison for Alien Smuggling Resulting in Death

TUCSON, Ariz. – Cesar Abraam Velasquez-Munoz, 20, of Peoria, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez to 52 months in prison for his role in transporting two illegal aliens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the vehicle while it was moving. Velasquez-Munoz previously pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit Placing in Jeopardy the Life of Any Person and Resulting in Death.

On March 6, 2024, Velasquez-Munoz and his co-defendant, Steven Beltran-Lugo, picked up two illegal aliens near the Mexican border with the intent to smuggle them further into the United States. Velasquez-Munoz drove the vehicle while he and Beltran-Lugo communicated with a Phoenix-based smuggling coordinator. At some point, Velasquez-Munoz noticed Border Patrol agents following their vehicle and told the aliens to get out of the car. The first illegal alien jumped out of the moving car while it was traveling approximately 45 miles per hour. Velasquez-Munoz then accelerated as the second illegal alien attempted to exit the vehicle, causing him to violently strike the pavement. As a result, he suffered a brain hemorrhage and internal bleeding, ultimately succumbing to these injuries two days later in the hospital.

The sentencing is the result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA, a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has been elevated and expanded by the Attorney General with a mandate to target cartels and transnational criminal organizations to eliminate human smuggling and trafficking networks operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, and Colombia that impact public safety and the security of our borders. JTFA currently comprises detailees from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border. Dedicated support is provided by numerous components of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, led by the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section (HRSP) and supported by the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section, the Office of Enforcement Operations, and the Office of International Affairs (OIA), among others. JTFA also relies on substantial law enforcement investment from DHS, the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA’s work has resulted in more than 360 domestic and international arrests of leaders, organizers, and significant facilitators of alien smuggling; more than 330 U.S. convictions; more than 275 significant jail sentences imposed; and forfeitures of substantial assets.

Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:          24-CR-01674-TUC-AMM (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2025-073_Velasquez-Munoz

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