A Honduran national has been sentenced to over nine years in prison by a federal court for leading a human smuggling operation in Texas. Marvin Reyes, 39, who resided illegally in Houston, has also been directed to forfeit $1 million acquired from the smuggling activities. As reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Reyes previously pleaded guilty to the charges on May 30, 2024.
U.S. District Judge David Morales has ordered Reyes to serve 108 months in federal prison, which will be followed immediately by three years of supervised release. During sentencing, the court highlighted the scale of the conspiracy, which appeared to span three years and involved over 200 aliens transported. The judge made it clear that Reyes’ actions could have potentially injured or even killed people and declared him responsible as the ring's leader. In a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the nature of the risks caused by these smuggling activities was highlighted as well.
It was in July 2021 when law enforcement first uncovered this human smuggling ring operating out of Houston with Reyes at the helm. The operation orchestrated the illegal movement of individuals through Border Patrol checkpoints in Sarita and Falfurrias, and even involved arranging private flights from Weslaco to Houston for unauthorized aliens.
Noteworthy in the case was the financial footprint left by Reyes. Bank records outlined that he had received at least $1 million in proceeds deriving from the smuggling activities. This substantial sum was a factor in the court's decision to impose a $1 million money judgment against Reyes. Upon conclusion of the hearing, Reyes was remanded to custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, details of which are yet to be determined.
The successful conviction was the result of a collaborative investigative effort led by Homeland Security Investigations, with the assistance of Border Patrol. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Overman and Tyler Foster. "Successful interdiction of illegal alien smuggling at the border or at interior checkpoints benefits the nation as a whole. The Southern District of Texas is proud to do its part to support a secure border," U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei said in a press release.
