Two men from Tucson, Gerson Montano and Robert Dale Hart, have been handed prison sentences for a smuggling operation that led to tragic consequences, as reported in a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona. Montano, 38, will serve 70 months, after which he will be put under supervised release for five years. Convicted for the charge of Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death, Montano was the driver of an SUV implicated in a deadly chase that proved fatal for a 17-year-old undocumented individual trying, alongside others, to evade law enforcement. Hart, 64, faces 51 months in prison followed by the same period of supervised release for Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death.

The harmful attempt to quickly transport undocumented passengers came to a head on the night of August 3, 2022. When Arizona officers tried to stop the vehicle on I-10, the SUV recklessly decided to not comply, eventually pulling over in the median and setting the stage for the ensuing catastrophe. As passengers fled across the busy interstate, two were hit by a semi-truck; the teen was pronounced dead on-site while another sustained serious injuries. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Montano attempted to quickly flee on foot, but was later captured and linked to Hart, who had employed him in this dangerous human transport operation.

The investigation, spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations, United States Border Patrol, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, painted a grim picture of the ruthless world of human smuggling. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Courchaine and Lisa E. Jennis were instrumental in the prosecution that led to these sentences.

In the wake of the harrowing event and the recent court decision, discussions have been sparked about the desperate circumstances that push people to such perilous lengths, and the individuals who exploit them for profit. The release number 2024-051_Montano, published by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, details the case CR-2022-1083-PHX-DJH, which has now concluded with the sentencing of Montano and Hart.