United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

Two Men Sentenced to Federal Prison
for Transporting Aliens Near San Angelo, Texas

One of Aliens Transported in Vehicle Was Killed
When the Vehicle Rolled in Traffic Accident

Two men who transported illegal aliens near San Angelo, Texas, in March 2006, were sentenced today in federal court in Lubbock, Texas, announced United States Attorney Richard B. Roper. United States District Judge Sam R. Cummings sentenced Jorge Luis Castro-Garcia to 71 months imprisonment and Jesse Cano to 87 months imprisonment.. Castro-Garcia, Cano, and co-defendant Agustin Anorga, each pled guilty in July to one count of transporting illegal aliens for private financial gain and aiding and abetting. Agustin Anorga is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cummings on November 3, 2006.

Jorge Luis Castro-Garcia, a citizen of Mexico lawfully residing in the United States, recruited Jesse Cano and Agustin Anorga, both U.S. citizens, to transport illegal aliens for money. The three met in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico, and finalized plans for transporting the aliens. They had been in contact with the aliens and had arranged to pick them up after the aliens were illegally crossed into the U.S. The aliens were to pay Castro-Garcia $1,500 each to be smuggled into the United States and transported to Cleburne, Texas, and Castro-Garcia was to pay Cano and Anorga for their assistance when the aliens arrived safely in Cleburne.

On March 18, 2006, Castro-Carcia, Cano and Anorga picked up approximately 11 to 13 Mexican nationals, illegally in the United States, near Del Rio, Texas. They used three vehicles for this venture and were taking the aliens to the Cleburne, Texas, area to work. After picking up the aliens at the border, the three men had the aliens walk around the immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 277 near Del Rio, in order to avoid their detection. They then picked them up again after the checkpoint and put them in a red Ford Explorer, driven by Anorga, and a gray pickup truck, driven by Cano. Castro-Garcia led the way in a white Suburban, but in Sonora, Texas, the aliens in the gray pickup truck were transferred to the white Suburban. After the transfer, Cano took the lead in the gray pickup truck, followed by Anorga in the red Explorer, and Castro in the white Suburban.

At one point, Cano lost sight of Anorga and pulled over to wait for him. Cano turned around and discovered that Anorga’s vehicle had crashed near El Dorado, Texas. It was later determined that a worn tire on the vehicle blew out and caused the red Explorer to roll. Cano and Anorga tried to assist the injured aliens and went to a nearby ranch to summon help. Castro-Garcia eventually went back to the scene of the accident, but left when law enforcement arrived. Cano and Anorga then left the scene as well.

One of the illegal aliens was killed in the accident and one was seriously injured. The other aliens from the red Explorer ran into the brush after the accident, but some were eventually found.

Cano and Angora caught up with Castro-Garcia about 80 miles down the highway in Brady, Texas. Castro-Garcia had dropped off four illegal alines near the scene of the accident and wanted to return and pick them up. Cano and Castro-Garcia returned to the area in the white Suburban and found the four illegal aliens while Anorga traveled on to Cleburne in the gray pickup truck. Cano and Castro-Garcia were traveling on a small highway near the accident site in order to avoid detection when the Schleicher County Sheriff stopped them.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Border Patrol, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Schleicher and Menard County Sheriff’s Offices. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Denise Williams of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

###