HSI San Antonio investigation leads to 6 charged in deadly noncitizen smuggling ring
HSI San Antonio Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee at the podium providing remarks during the USAO Southern District of Texas boating press conference. He provided information regarding HSI’s role in the investigation that led to the arrest of six suspects.
BROWNSVILLE, Texas – A Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio investigation resulted in six people arrested on charges of smuggling, resulting in the death of eight.
Those charged and taken into custody over the last three days include Juan Manuel Tena, 39, Pharr; Julia Isairis Torres, 37, Israel Torres Jr., 33, Erasmo Garcia III, 21, and Alexis Rafael Adorno, all of Roma; and Jose Refugio Torres, 26, Austin.
The 11-count indictment was returned Jan. 10 and unsealed upon the arrests this week.
According to the indictment, Tena was the alleged leader of the noncitizen smuggling ring and coordinated a network of co-conspirators throughout the Southern District of Texas. Tena and his co-conspirators allegedly conspired to transport illegal noncitizens from the Rio Grande Valley to destinations within the United States.
As a result of that conspiracy, a total of eight noncitizens were killed and two others seriously injured, according to the charges.
The indictment alleges all engaged in a conspiracy to transport illegal noncitizens resulting in death and committed multiple counts of transporting illegal noncitizens resulting in death.
Tena, Julia Torres, Israel Torres, Jose Torres and Garcia are all charged with the attempted smuggling of illegal noncitizens in March 2019 by motor vehicle from the Rio Grande Valley to Houston. The charges allege that during the failed attempt, a vehicle rolled over and caused the deaths of four non-U.S. citizens with serious injuries to one other.
The indictment also charges Tena along with Adorno with the attempted smuggling of illegal noncitizens in February 2022 by watercraft from South Padre Island to the Corpus Christi area. The watercraft allegedly capsized, four illegal aliens were killed and another seriously injured.
All face up to life in prison a possible $250,000 maximum fine for the conspiracy and up to 20 years for each count of transporting illegal noncitizens resulting in serious bodily injury.
The indictment also includes a notice of forfeiture identifying several properties allegedly purchased with illegal proceeds of criminal activity.
HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Border Patrol; Coast Guard; Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations; police departments in Port Mansfield and South Padre Island; Texas Rangers; Texas Game Wardens; sheriff’s offices in Kenedy, Duval and Willacy Counties; and the Willacy County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Edgardo J. Rodriguez and David A. Lindenmuth are prosecuting the case.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
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