South Texas man sentenced to more than 2 years in prison for alien harboring

LAREDO, Texas — A south Texas man was sentenced Wednesday to more than two years in federal prison following his conviction for harboring 21 illegal aliens for profit.

This sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas. This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).

Gustavo Villegas, 28, of Laredo, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janis Graham to 27 months in prison, which is to be followed by two years of supervised release. Villegas was arrested Oct. 23, 2014.

According to court documents, Villegas took part in a conspiracy to smuggle and harbor illegal aliens in Laredo in July 2014. Villegas transported illegal aliens to a local Burger King restaurant, and to the American Best Value Inn and Gateway Inn hotels in Laredo. HSI ultimately discovered a total of 21 illegal aliens at the two hotels.

When HSI special agents learned the smuggling was scheduled to take place at a local HEB supermarket parking lot, they began conducting surveillance. Special agents witnessed a number of people exit a Ford Focus car and get into the Dodge Durango truck Villegas was driving. HSI followed the vehicle to a Burger King where four of the people got out of the Dodge truck and boarded another vehicle bound for America’s Best Value hotel in Laredo. Several people got out and entered a room at the hotel. HSI special agents witnessed similar activity leading them to the Gateway Inn hotel where more individuals were seen entering that hotel on two separate occasions. Eventually, special agents knocked on the doors of both hotels and asked for consent from the occupants.

The jury was provided evidence that Villegas had rented the room at America’s Best Value hotel to stage several smuggled Central Americans for profit. Co-defendant Rodolfo Castaneda rented the Gateway Inn hotel room which held 13 Salvadoran nationals.

Villegas will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future. Castaneda previously pleaded guilty to the charges and is awaiting sentencing.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jorge Vela and Sanjeev Bhasker, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.