Former Southeast Texas deputy constable sentenced to 15 months in prison for transporting illegal aliens

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A former Southeast Texas deputy constable was sentenced Wednesday to serve 15 months in federal prison following his conviction for transporting illegal aliens.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.  The original charges resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with the assistance of Robstown (Texas) Police Department (RPD).

Luis Enrique Guevara, 45, of Brownsville, Texas, pleaded guilty June 4, 2015, admitting that he transported three illegal aliens in a Nissan Pathfinder.  In addition to the 15 months in federal prison, U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos also sentenced Guevara to serve three years of supervised release.

Guevara was arrested April 9, 2015 after an RPD officer stopped him for speeding as he was driving the Pathfinder north on U.S. Highway 77 through Robstown.

During the traffic stop, Guevara told the arresting officer he was a former Cameron County police officer and a former narcotics officer with the Los Fresnos Police Department. After his arrest, Guevara told investigators he had transported illegal aliens several times prior and that he was paid $2,500 per illegal alien transported.

At the time of the arrest, Guevara was a reserve deputy constable in Cameron County. He no longer holds that position.

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

Assistant U.S. Attorney Chad W. Cowan, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.