An El Paso man has been given a 33-month federal prison sentence following his involvement in a smuggling scheme utilizing a tunnel to clandestinely bring individuals across the U.S.-Mexico border. Oscar Ivan Carrillo, 20, was implicated in constructing new tunnels that connected to the existing storm drain system, effectively creating a subterranean passageway between Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, U.S.A. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the tunnels allowed for the undetected transit of aliens into the U.S., where they were then transported in a box truck equipped with a concealed trap door.
The tunnel's discovery on January 10, 2025, by the U.S. Border Patrol and ICE Homeland Security Investigations agents, led to Carrillo's name appearing in a four-count indictment on April 2, 2025. Subsequently arrested on June 10, Carillo pleaded guilty on November 4 to one count of conspiracy to use a border tunnel. The case highlights the continuous innovation of criminals exploiting the border, as stated by Taekuk Cho, ICE HSI El Paso acting Special Agent in Charge, who stressed the mounting dangers and security threats these networks pose.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, noted the devastating reality of the smuggling operations, recognizing them as indifferent to the perils faced by the smuggled individuals—all while cartels and their alien smuggling organizations profit from the desperation of their human cargo. In a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Simmons stated, "We will always aggressively pursue alien smugglers because doing so hits cartels right where it hurts: in the pocketbook."
El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Jesse D. Munoz expressed the determination of U.S. Border Patrol agents and their partners to dismantle these smuggling operations and ensure border security. Munoz lauded the effective teamwork that led to both the tunnel's closure and Carrillo's prosecution, emphasizing the message that border threats will be met with justice. The case was investigated by ICE HSI and the U.S. Border Patrol, with the Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Engelbaum successfully prosecuting it under Joint Task Force Alpha.
