SAN ANTONIO – A man was sentenced Wednesday in federal court in San Antonio to 25 years in prison for his involvement in a criminal organization.
According to court documents, Jose Miguel Sandoval-Pineda aka “Primo,” aka “Chavalon,” 22, of Michoacan, Mexico, was the leader, organizer and recruiter for a criminal organization heavily involved in human smuggling, firearms trafficking and narcotics trafficking in the San Antonio area in 2019 and early 2020.
Recommended Videos
Sandoval-Pineda and his organization are also tied to numerous shootings and arsons, including two homicides, mostly in the San Antonio area, according to a news release from the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
The defendant was arrested on Jan. 17, 2020, in West Columbia, Texas and is currently serving a 10-year federal sentence for the illegal possession of a machine gun.
On Nov. 4, 2021, Sandoval-Pineda pleaded guilty to four additional counts: conspiracy to transport illegal aliens; conspiracy to commit money laundering; conspiracy to commit arson; and use of fire or explosives to commit a federal felony.
On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Xavier Rodriguez sentenced Sandoval-Pineda to 10 years for one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens; 15 years for one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; and 15 years for one count of conspiracy to commit arson, which will run concurrently with each other.
Rodriguez also sentenced Sandoval-Pineda to a consecutive 10 years in prison for one count of the use of fire or explosives to commit a federal felony. Sandoval-Pineda will serve his 25-year federal prison sentence at the conclusion of his current 10-year sentence.
“This defendant, who was already serving 10 years in federal prison, will now remain locked up for more than two more long decades,” said U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas. “That is thanks to the dedication of our skilled prosecutors and our law enforcement partners at the local and federal levels. Without them, this criminal organization would likely still be out there terrorizing our communities and putting innocent lives at risk.”
Of the 11 defendants in this case, six have been sentenced. The other four are in federal custody as they await their sentencing hearings.