Human Smuggling Facilitator Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison

DEL RIO, Texas – A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court to 12 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $52,000 in restitution for her role as a stash house operator and facilitator.

According to court documents, Dulce Maria Almaguer-Morquecho, 43, of Nueva Rosita, Coahuila, Mexico was registered as the owner of multiple vehicles and a cell phone involved in human smuggling attempts between May 14, 2021 and Jan. 17, 2022. Almaguer-Morquecho was identified as someone who harbored undocumented noncitizens and recruited load drivers for human smuggling operations, offering to pay the drivers $1,000 for every migrant they transported.

Almaguer-Morquecho was arrested July 5, 2022. She pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens, causing serious bodily injury or placing lives in jeopardy on Jan. 9, 2023.

Co-defendant Haley Yvonne Garrett was sentenced on Aug. 15 to six years in prison for her role as a load driver for the organization. Garrett led a law enforcement on high-speed chase through Del Rio, crashing into a Sonic restaurant and ejecting several undocumented noncitizens from her vehicle. Several other co-defendants have received between three and five years in prison for their roles in the human smuggling conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.

###