A Chattanooga, Tennessee man has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to smuggling a truckload of 22 undocumented immigrants. Josef Alquan Rutley, 38, was handed the sentence by U.S. District Judge David Morales following a hearing that highlighted the dangerous conditions the immigrants faced, locked in the trailer with no means of escape, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.
Rutley, who was arrested on Dec. 19, 2024, after driving up to the Falfurrias Border Patrol checkpoint and raising suspicion through his nervous demeanor, initially denied having any passengers. However, an x-ray scan later revealed the crammed conditions of the undocumented individuals within the trailer. Alongside the prison term, Rutley faces three years of supervised release, during which he must adhere to various conditions as dictated by the court.
The case is part of Operation Take Back America, a federal initiative focused on addressing illegal immigration and associated crimes. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas noted that the operation is a component of a broader national effort aimed at addressing illegal immigration and disrupting the activities of cartels and criminal organizations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Pruitt led the prosecution against Rutley, in coordination with Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol agents who carried out the investigation.
Rutley is currently in custody, awaiting transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility, the specific location of which is yet to be determined.
