In a case that ripples through the community, a father and son duo have been sentenced on charges of cocaine trafficking and harboring undocumented immigrants near Harlandale High School, San Antonio, reports KENS 5. Jorge Morado Pinales and his son, Jorge Armando Moreno, were arrested following a traffic stop which led to the discovery of their illegal operations in close proximity to a school zone, posing a serious threat to public safety.
The investigation, which included a search warrant for their home, resulted in the seizure of over $600,000 which authorities say will be put to good use purchasing life-saving public safety equipment; however, the specifics on what equipment this pertains to remains undisclosed, KENS 5 reported recently. In addition to the controversial location of their operations, their home also played host to an unsettling human smuggling situation detailed in a separate article by FOX San Antonio, which uncovered five undocumented immigrants living in squalor, and a stash of $601,302 cash in what became a larger federal case against the pair.
Both men have received federal sentences for their crimes, with the elder Morado sentenced to 37 months in federal prison and his son Moreno preceding him with a 21-month sentence, according to FOX San Antonio. The bust traced back to a drug sale orchestrated by the father for his son and an undercover deputy, a move which foreshadowed the downfall of their criminal enterprise and brought to light the even grimmer reality of their human smuggling operations.
"This case serves as a stark reminder that alien smuggling is not a victimless crime, but rather a for-profit enterprise," U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons told FOX San Antonio, emphasizing the significance of over $600,000 in proceeds from these criminal activities being intercepted. The money's destination, intended for equipment upgrades, promises an improvement in local law enforcement capabilities, yet the exact nature of this new equipment is still to be decided.
