Federal Jury Convicts Fourth Member of Human Smuggling Conspiracy in Del Rio

DEL RIO, Texas – A federal jury in Del Rio convicted a Luling man for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and one count of illegal alien transportation for profit.

According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, Bryant Anthony Garcia, 19, was the passenger in a vehicle driven by co-defendant Juan Angel Soberanes, 18, of Luling, on Oct. 1, 2024. U.S. Border Patrol agents assigned to a checkpoint near Del Rio instructed Soberanes to advance to secondary inspection when a second vehicle, driven by co-defendant Carlos Daniel Martinez, 25, of Fort Worth, arrived at the checkpoint. Martinez’s vehicle was occupied by a fourth defendant, Mexican national Joel Hernandez-Ortiz, 26, in the front passenger seat and two illegal aliens sitting in the rear passenger seats. The USBP agents learned that the two vehicles were traveling together.

In an interview with the agents, Garcia stated that he and his high school friend, Soberanes, left Luling together the previous day. He admitted that the two had traveled to Eagle Pass to scout for law enforcement and facilitate the smuggling of two illegal aliens. Garcia state that he expected to receive $2,000 for his efforts.

Co-defendants Hernandez-Ortiz and Martinez pleaded guilty on Jan. 13, 2025 to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. Soberanes pleaded guilty to the same charge on Feb. 10, 2025.

Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

USBP is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nallely Duarte and Matt Kass are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

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