Skip to main content
Press Release

Mexican Man Gets 15 Years For Transporting Illegal Aliens Resulting In Death

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of Texas

McALLEN, Texas – Eduardo Moreno-Gonzalez, 22, a Mexican citizen illegally present in the U.S., has been ordered to federal prison following his conviction of transporting illegal aliens that resulted in the death of one of the aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson. Moreno-Gonzalez pleaded guilty Oct. 3, 2014.

At time of this offense, Moreno-Gonzalez was on supervised release for a previous conviction in another alien-transporting case in which he was driving the vehicle and lost control, resulting in a rollover. Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane revoked that supervised release as part of his 180-month sentence in this case. He is expected to face deportation proceedings following his prison sentence. 

On April 2, 2014, Border Patrol (BP) agents observed a group of vehicles the agents suspected to be involved in illegal activity near San Isidro. Agents investigate further and observed the vehicles turn off onto a dirt and gravel road. When agents approached, they saw dust and dirt in the air and later saw taillights spinning in the dust. Upon arrival, they encountered Moreno-Gonzalez trapped under the vehicle he was driving, which had lost control and flipped. Moreno-Gonzalez was transporting 21 illegal aliens.  In the crash, one of the aliens was ejected from the vehicle and died as a result.

Moreno-Gonzalez has been in federal custody since his arrest where he will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. 

Homeland Security Investigations and BP investigated the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Joseph Leonard and former AUSA Grady J. Leupold.

Updated April 30, 2015