Sept. 7, 2011

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McALLEN, Texas – Elvia Elvira Uriegas, 27, of Roma, Texas, has been sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for conspiring to transport illegal aliens, U.S. Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today. U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, who handed down the sentence today, also ordered Uriegas to pay restitution totaling $18,767.81 for the medical expenses of two Sullivan City police officers injured as a result of a collision that occurred during a high-speed chase while trying to stop Uriegas and for the resulting damage to the police vehicle.

Uriegas pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 7, 2011, admitting to conspiring to transport illegal aliens by motor vehicle on April 2, 2011, from Roma to Sullivan City, Texas. According to court documents, Uriegas was driving a Dodge Durango carrying six undocumented aliens as passengers on April 2. When the Sullivan City Police tried to initiate a traffic stop, she fled, prompting police to pursue her. Driving erratically onto some dirt roads and nearly causing the Durango to flip over, Uriegas eventually slammed on her brakes, causing a collision with a police vehicle. Uriegas and two passengers fled on foot, but were apprehended with the help of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter pilot. Two police officers and three of the undocumented aliens were taken to the hospital for medical treatment. At the time of her guilty plea, Uriegas admitted she had been hired to transport the illegal aliens. 
 
Uriegas has been in federal custody without bond since her arrest and will remain in custody pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility to be designated in the near future. Following her release from prison, she will serve a three-year-term of supervised release.

The charges against Uriegas are the result of the investigative efforts of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Sullivan City Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Sully is prosecuting the case.