A smuggler has been sentenced to six years in federal prison for illegally transporting migrants across the United States, utilizing Snapchat to connect with undocumented individuals. The U.S. district judge handed down the sentence based on the smuggler’s extensive involvement in the criminal operation.
Named Sanchez-Armenta, he used the popular social media platform to gather migrants in Southern Arizona before facilitating their transport to various locations across the country for profit. He also enlisted co-conspirators through social media channels.
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His punishment includes 72 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. The investigation was a joint effort by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Tucson.
Reports indicate that Sanchez-Armenta provided his accomplices with specific instructions on migrant pick-up locations, often giving GPS coordinates to help them avoid law enforcement.
HSI Arizona Special Agent in Charge, Francisco B. Burrola, remarked, “This sentencing highlights the severe consequences for those who profit from human smuggling, demonstrating a blatant disregard for human life. We are committed to dismantling these illicit operations.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona, Stuart Zander, oversaw the prosecution of this case.
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In a related case, a 20-year-old named Mauricio Andrade-Garcia received a 10-month prison sentence after recruiting drivers via Snapchat to assist in picking up undocumented individuals in Southern Arizona. Andrade-Garcia pled guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit earlier this year.
This crackdown on smuggling coincides with a recent operation where HSI El Paso agents apprehended 13 migrants and an alleged smuggler at an Airbnb stash house.
Interestingly, data from the United Nations indicated that the smuggling trade from Mexico to the U.S. could generate around $4 billion annually—this figure is based on estimates from a few years back and is considered conservative by experts.
Despite these figures, migrant crossings have dropped significantly, recently hitting a three-year low after President Joe Biden enacted stricter policies regarding asylum seekers, marking the lowest monthly total since September 2020. U.S. officials credit the decrease to these new measures.