Accused immigrant smuggler pleads not guilty in SA court

Gerardo Carreon pleads not guilty to transporting undocumented immigrants

SAN ANTONIO – The man accused of smuggling more than 50 immigrants in a refrigerated trailer last month plead not guilty in a San Antonio court on Monday. 

Gerardo Carreon, 36, pleaded not guilty to four counts of transporting undocumented immigrants, or conspiracy to transport.

On June 12, Carreron drove the tractor-trailer to an alley in the 8400 block of Laurelcrest Place near Loop 410 and Broadway and let the immigrants out, according to a criminal complaint. 

The complaint said Carreon admitted to investigators that he traveled from Laredo to San Antonio, but that another person drove the truck to an H-E-B warehouse near Rittiman Road and parked it there.

Carreon said he drove to the warehouse and picked up the truck and drove it to the alley where he used bolt cutters to cut the seal of the trailer to allow the immigrants to exit, the document said. 

The document said the youngest person in the trailer was 16 years old.

All of the immigrants survived the journey. At least four of them are expected to give sworn testimony in the case against Carreon. 

Carreron is being held without bond.


About the Authors:

RJ Marquez is the traffic anchor/reporter for KSAT’s Good Morning San Antonio. He also fills in as a news anchor and has covered stories from breaking news and Fiesta to Spurs championships and high school sports. RJ started at KSAT in 2010. He is proud to serve our viewers and be a part of the culture and community that makes San Antonio great.