An El Paso federal court delivered a prison sentence of nearly a decade to a Cuban national for his role in smuggling humans and committing sexual assault on one of the victims. Humberto Yosvany Arriola-Rivero, 30, was sentenced to 111 months for conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens, in addition to sexually assaulting an alien.
Arriola-Rivero's illegal activities came to a head when law enforcement ran him to ground in April 2023 as he transported over a dozen illegal aliens, according to court documents. Further investigation uncovered his operation of a stash house in El Paso where the sexual assault took place. Following an indictment by a federal grand jury on May 17, 2023, authorities made an arrest on September 7, 2023; Arriola-Rivero pleaded guilty on August 27, 2024.
Acting U.S. Attorney Margaret Leachman pointed out the dual nature of Arriola-Rivero's crimes. "It’s important to note that Arriola-Rivero is being held responsible not only for the significant role he played in human smuggling operations, but also for his abhorrent decision to further dehumanize and sexually violate one of his victims," Leachman stated, emphasizing the gravity of both the smuggling operations and the sexual violence involved.
Special Agent in Charge for El Paso, Jason T. Stevens of ICE Homeland Security Investigations, commented on the deliverance of justice in this case. "Justice was served today for a stash house operator who organized the smuggling of hundreds of illegal aliens and sexually assaulted one of them, all while cramming individuals into tractor-trailers in the sweltering Texas heat," Stevens said, expressing ICE's commitment to targeting those exploiting vulnerable individuals for profit. Homeland Security Investigations spearheaded the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol.
