Laredo Man Sentenced for Alien Harboring Conspiracy

LAREDO, Texas – A 43-year-old resident of Laredo has been ordered to federal prison for role in an alien smuggling incident which led to the kidnapping of multiple illegal aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick. Jesus Osorio pleaded guilty Aug. 7, 2017, admitting he conspired to harbor and transport undocumented aliens in which the defendant caused serious bodily injury to another person.

Today, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo handed Osorio a 87-month sentence which will be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He was further ordered to complete 150 hours of community service. In handing down the sentence, Judge Marmolejo noted that during the conspiracy, some of the aliens were threatened with weapons and that at least one suffered severe bodily injury during an eventual kidnapping.

On July 5, 2016, law enforcement responded to an incident at a residence in Laredo where eight undocumented aliens were kidnapped and held hostage against their will. They had previously made arrangements to be smuggled into the United States. After their arrival, they stayed at a Laredo residence for two weeks.

They were then transported to a second location where Angel Alexis Diaz, 20, Jose Israel Diaz, 43, and Julio Osorio, 40, all of Laredo, held them hostage. The victims reported being beaten, forced to undress and ordered to contact family members to pay a ransom for their release.

Through further investigation, authorities learned Jesus Osorio was the man who drove the aliens from the stash house to the second residence where they were eventually kidnapped. During the course of the offense, one of the undocumented aliens was seriously injured and required hospitalization. 

Jesus Osorio will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Angel Diaz, Jose Diaz and Julio Osorio were convicted of conspiracy to kidnap illegal aliens and received sentences of 262-360 months in prison.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Laredo Police Department and U.S. Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher A. dos Santos is prosecuting the case.