By: EFE
By: EFE
Four men were sentenced by a judge in the Southern District of Texas for illegally harboring in harsh conditions undocumented immigrants , including several minors who traveled alone, official sources reported Tuesday.
The immigrant group was found on August 8, 2019 in the county from Starr (Texas) after a migrant who had managed to escape informed the authorities about the location and the treatment they were receiving. In addition, he indicated that they were there against his will.
The defendants were held responsible for keeping in the summer immigrants without enough food and water in an open shed that did not have showers or toilets, risking injury or death.
District Judge Randy Crane called the defendants’ behavior “egregious” and noted that threatened immigrants with stun guns and a firearm, in addition to physically abusing them.
The defendants – Juan Carlos Barrera, of 28 years; Odilón Oyervides Jr., of 22 years; Isaac Villarreal, of 25 years, and Gustavo Alberto Alaniz Jr., of 25 years-, who pleaded guilty at the end of 2019 , are in custody awaiting transfer to a prison.
Oyervides, who was sentenced today by Judge Crane to 108 months in prison , there were was sentenced on August 7, 2019 by Judge Marina Marmalejo to 18 months in prison for possession of weapons. This Monday’s sentence will be served consecutively, for which Oyervides will serve a total of 126 months in prison.
Barrera and Alaniz were sentenced last December to 120 months in prison , while Villarreal received a sentence of 63 months. The four men, residents of Rome, Starr County, will be left to serve a three-year period of supervised release once they are released from jail.