Smugglers Head To Federal Prison For Raping And Threatening Undocumented Aliens

McALLEN, Texas ‐ Miguel Aceves, 40, of El Salvador, and Valentine Pena-Roman, 41, of Mexico, have been sentenced to significant federal prison time for smuggling undocumented aliens, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today.

Aceves and Pena harbored undocumented aliens in Alamo from Oct. 1 to Oct. 4, 2012. While at the stash house, multiple undocumented aliens were threatened by Aceves and Pena that they would be hurt or killed if they did not pay more money. During this time, Aceves sexually assaulted one undocumented alien. Further investigation revealed that in September 2012, he had also sexually assaulted another female undocumented alien in San Juan, Texas.

Today, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Aceves and Pena to 96 and 70 months confinement, respectively. Upon imposing the sentence, the court noted that Aceves was calculated in the ways in which the females were separated from the other undocumented aliens. Judge Crane enhanced Aceves’ sentence based on the repeated sexual assaults of the victims.

The investigation leading to the charges against Aceves and Pena was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, Border Patrol, Alamo Police Department and the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kristen Rees and Kimberly Ann Leo prosecuted the case.