A New Jersey trucker was convicted Monday by a federal jury for smuggling undocumented immigrants into South Texas, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Andrew Rafael Martinez-Peralta, 51, was found guilty after a swift two-day trial culminated in approximately 45 minutes of jury deliberation.
The case unfolded after Martinez-Peralta was stopped at the Sarita Border Patrol checkpoint on July 5, 2023. A thorough search prompted by a K-9 alert turned up to reveal seven people hidden within his tractor-trailer's compartment, including a location under the bed and inside a closet. The authorities also discovered cell phones gathered above the driver’s head, a spot claimed he never bothered to check before setting out on his route.
In a turn of events during the trial, a testimony disclosed that one of the smuggled individuals had agreed to pay a hefty $25,000 to be snuck into the United States from Brazil. The destination was to further be Massachusetts, pointing to a larger, more sinister network beyond the immediate charges.
Despite Martinez-Peralta testifying in his own defense, proclaiming to have no knowledge of the illegal passengers on board, the jury’s quick verdict indicated otherwise. U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani told the court, “Martinez-Peralta claimed he didn’t know there were seven migrants in the sleeper area of his tractor-trailer, a claim so incredible that it took the jury less than an hour to find him guilty.”
District Judge David S. Morales oversaw the proceedings and has set the sentencing for May 22. Martinez-Peralta could be facing up to a five-year sentence and a potential $250,000 fine. Even though convicted, he's been permitted to remain on bond until the sentencing date arrives. The investigation was led by Customs and Border Protection with Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Marck and Tyler Foster prosecuting.
