A father and son from Reno have been indicted on charges of human smuggling. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Carlos Recinos-Valdez, 43, and his son Kevin Recinos-Ruano, 20, were arrested and appeared in court on Tuesday, accused of conspiring to harbor illegal aliens in the Reno area for financial gain.
A criminal complaint unsealed in court alleges that Recinos-Valdez and his son were involved in a human smuggling conspiracy that operated from July 2021 until March 11, when law enforcement executed a search warrant at Recinos-Valdez's residence, seizing firearms and fraudulent documents. The complaint states that Recinos-Valdez led a network linked to a Transnational Criminal Organization operating in Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States, which charged large sums for smuggling services. Acting U.S. Attorney Sue Fahami stated, “Human smuggling operations threaten our national security.” The investigation involved the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, and local law enforcement.
Recinos-Valdez is accused of running a smuggling operation that housed migrants in Reno apartment complexes and demanded payments under threat of violence to recover syndicate fees, with his son, Recinos-Ruano, allegedly assisting in the extortion. Recinos-Valdez faces up to 20 years in prison, and Recinos-Ruano could face up to 10 years if convicted. The investigation involved the Reno Police Department, Sparks Police Department, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, and Washoe County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Keenan is prosecuting the case. Both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
