Texas Cop, Wife Sentenced for Smuggling Illegal Aliens

HOUSTON, Texas–A Houston police officer and his wife were sentenced to spend 15 months in a federal prison following their conviction on charges of transporting illegal aliens. The couple will also face supervised release and a fine of $1,000.

U.S. District Court Judge Alia Moses in Del Rio ordered Houston Police Officer Juan Carillo and his wife, Rosa Lidia Carrillo to spend 15 months in federal prison. The couple were found guilty earlier this year of transporting illegal aliens from the Mexican border to Houston, Breitbart Texas reported in January.

The couple admitted that they had transported at least two illegal aliens from Eagle Pass, Texas to the Houston area. The couple live in the northwest part of Houston in an area called Cypress. Border Patrol agents made the discovery at the Carrizo Springs immigration checkpoint on Highway 85. They were carrying four passengers in the back seat of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck. Two of those people turned out to be illegal aliens, one of whom was a family member of Mrs. Carrillo.

Court records previously obtained by Breitbart Texas showed that Mrs. Carillo had wired $1,500 to a human smuggler to transport the family member and a companion to Texas where they would pick them up.

“The sentencing of the Carrillos sends a clear message that individuals who engage in human smuggling will be held accountable for their actions,” Special Agent in Charge Shane Folden, from Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) San Antonio said in a written statement. “HSI will continue to work closely with its law enforcement partners to bring human smugglers to justice.”

The couple could have faced up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The judge reduced the sentence to only 15 months and a 1,000 fine. The couple also face three years of supervised release upon completion of their prison term.

Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas. He is a founding member of the Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.