A Honduran national, 50-year-old Greibein Alexis Pinot-Duarte, is facing serious charges for smuggling 51 people, including two juveniles, in a refrigerated trailer. Authorities stopped him last Saturday near Freer after a canine unit detected the presence of humans, and his nervous behavior raised further suspicion, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Upon inspection, law enforcement found the occupants hidden beneath heavy boxes of produce in a compartment chilled to 55 degrees. The trapped individuals had no jackets or means to stay warm while enduring the cramped and hazardous conditions, as reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Pinot-Duarte is facing federal charges related to illegal immigration and smuggling as part of Operation Take Back America. He could face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted. His initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga is scheduled for Tuesday at 9:30 a.m. The case was brought by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations with Border Patrol, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
