DEL RIO, Texas – A man was sentenced to 15 years in prison in connection with a deadly human smuggling operation, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
Alan Vargas-Gonzalez, 23, of Mexico, and five other immigrants were arrested on April 17, 2025, in Eagle Pass.
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Authorities said Vargas-Gonzalez served as the immigrants’ “foot guide.” Of the group, he was the only one not wearing camouflage clothes and did not have any carpet glued to the bottom of his shoes.
Upon further investigation, DOJ investigators later learned that Vargas-Gonzalez was connected to a March 2025 human smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of a woman from Guatemala, officials said.
A forensic examination of his cellphone revealed evidence that confirmed Vargas-Gonzalez’s involvement in the 2025 attempt, the DOJ said.
Vargas-Gonzalez was arrested on April 17, 2025, and subsequently indicted on May 14, 2025.
A superseding indictment filed on Oct. 1 charged him with separate counts of illegal transport, a DOJ release said. Vargas-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one of those charges on Nov. 17.