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Mexican National pleads guilty to smuggling 53 aliens in tractor trailer

Posted at 5:20 PM, Apr 04, 2018
and last updated 2018-04-04 18:20:44-04

A Mexican National on a visitor visa has entered a guilty plea to attempting to smuggle illegal aliens behind a load of produce.

According to U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Patrick, a federal grand jury returned the indictment against 39-year-old Luis Valero-Carrizalesin February.

Today, he pleaded guilty as charged.  

Valero-Carrizales admitted he conspired to transport illegal aliens hidden behind a load of produce in the trailer of the 18-wheeler he was driving.

On Dec. 16, 2017, Valero-Carrizales drove a freightliner and approached the primary inspection lane at the U.S. Border Patrol Checkpoint near Falfurrias. During a routine immigration inspection, a service canine alerted to the trailer.

During a search of the vehicle, authorities discovered 53 illegal aliens hidden inside.

The temperature inside the refrigerated trailer was 54 degrees.

Valero-Carrizales was taken into custody, where he remains pending his sentencing hearing, set for August. he faces a maximum of 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 fine.