Jury convicts Cuban national for transporting non-citizens through checkpoint

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas - A federal jury has returned a guilty verdict against a Cuban national residing in Odessa for unlawfully transporting undocumented individuals, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

The jury deliberated for less than an hour before finding Mario Enrique Nerey-Valdivia, 50, guilty following a one-day trial.

The jury heard that Nerey-Valdivia drove a tractor-trailer to the Border Patrol Checkpoint near Falfurrias. During an immigration inspection, law enforcement noticed an individual trying to hide in the bed compartment of the tractor.

Upon further inspection, authorities discovered five undocumented people on the bunk beds covered with blankets.

At trial, the defense attempted to convince the jury he had no knowledge of the individuals inside the cab of his truck. They did not believe those claims and found him guilty as charged.

U.S. District Judge David S. Morales presided over the trial and set sentencing for Nov. 6. At that time, Nerey-Valdivia faces up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

He was permitted to remain on bond pending sentencing.

Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Lamont and Ashley Martin prosecuted the case.