Two men admit to transporting undocumented individuals in stolen pickup trucks

LAREDO, Texas - A Texan and a Mexican national have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Juan Daniel Saldaña, 30, San Antonio, and Noe Alonso Moreno-Alvarez, 23, Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy.

On Sept. 13, law enforcement patrolling near Bruni observed two pickup trucks driving in tandem in high speed on FM Road 205. Saldana and Moreno-Alvarez were the respective drivers and were transporting several undocumented individuals in the stolen vehicles.

Attempting to evade authorities, both men crashed through a ranch fence. Saldana stopped after he collided into a tree and fled with his girlfriend. Moreno-Alvarez kept driving until he stopped some distance from the other truck.

The next day, law enforcement found and arrested both men as well as the illegally present individuals. Saldaña and Moreno-Alvarez admitted to driving through private ranches in attempts to circumvent a Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint. Saldaña used bolt and wire cutters to gain access to the ranches and expected to receive payment from smugglers in Mexico.

Saldaña admitted he worked for the alien smuggling organization for some time.

Moreno-Alvarez said he entered the United States illegally a few months ago and agreed to transport undocumented migrants to work off his smuggling fee. He drove the lead vehicle, but after abandoning the truck, he joined the group of migrants in an attempt avoid arrest. However, Saldaña and the others identified him as a driver.

U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña accepted the plea and will set sentencing at a later date. At that time, the men face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

Saldana and Moreno-Alvarez have been and will remain in custody pending sentencing.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Webb County Sheriff's Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jose Homero Ramirez prosecuted the case.