La Pryor Man Sentenced to 120 Years in Federal Prison for Kidnapping Illegal Aliens

SAN ANTONIO – A La Pryor man was sentenced in a federal court in San Antonio to 120 years in prison for one count of conspiracy to kidnap and two counts related to harboring illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing the life of a person in jeopardy. He was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years on each of the harboring counts and was sentenced to 80 years on the kidnapping count, with the sentences to run consecutively.

According to court documents, in March 2022, Joshua Lee Balderas, 33, and other conspirators transported and harbored a group of seven aliens, including one woman, who had recently crossed the U.S.-Mexico border. When the group was picked up by the smugglers, the woman in the group was suffering from significant injuries to her feet and was severely dehydrated. Balderas transported the group from La Pryor to San Antonio, where the aliens were held captive in hotel rooms and ransomed to their families for thousands of dollars. One family member was forced to pay $7,000 for an alien’s release. Balderas and one of his co-conspirators, Kaylen Alexander Brondo, 26, of San Antonio, frequently brandished firearms in the hotel rooms to ensure compliance from the migrants and at trial, a victim testified that Balderas pointed a firearm directly at her to ensure her obedience during a ransom call. While the aliens were being held for ransom, Balderas sexually assaulted one of the migrants while threatening her with a firearm.

Balderas was arrested Oct. 28, 2022, and found guilty on all counts by a federal jury on Oct. 11, 2024. Brondo was arrested Oct. 24, 2022, and pleaded guilty on Sept. 30, 2024, to one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Brondo is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 26. U.S. District Judge Fred Biery is presiding over the cases for both defendants.

“This sentence, undoubtedly keeping Balderas confined for the remainder of his life, reflects the egregious nature of these human smuggling crimes,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “It should send a clear message throughout the nation and across our borders that we take these prosecutions very seriously and will aggressively seek to deliver justice.”

“The sentencing of this defendant to 120 years in prison marks a significant victory in our ongoing fight against human smuggling,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This severe penalty reflects the gravity of the crimes committed and serves as a stern warning to those who exploit vulnerable individuals for profit.  I commend the agents and our San Antonio Police Department partners for their hard work during this successful investigation.”

HSI and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amanda Brown and Adrian Rosales prosecuted 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, 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 Neighborhoods (PSN).

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