Honduran National Charged with Smuggling Child into the U.S.

McALLEN, Texas - A 24-year-old illegal alien from Honduras has been indicted on charges of human smuggling and making a false family claim, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick.

Starlin Alfredo Martinez-Morales was originally charged by criminal complaint May 10, 2019. Today, a federal grand jury returned the two-count indictment. He is expected to appear for his arraignment before a U.S. magistrate judge in the near future.

On May 7, 2019, Martinez-Morales allegedly crossed the Rio Grande River near Los Ebanos with a three-year-old child, also of Honduras. Martinez claimed to be traveling with his son and presented a fraudulent birth certificate for the juvenile, according to the charges.

The criminal complaint indicates he was not the father of the child and only traveling with him to successfully gain entry into the United States.

He faces up to five years in federal prison if convicted of either of the charges.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Alexis Garcia is prosecuting the case.  

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.
A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.