A Laredo felon who ran what prosecutors called a cartel-linked “one-stop shop” for human smuggling is headed to federal prison for more than a decade after authorities tied him to moving over 1,900 people into the United States.
Danny Nunez, 35, was sentenced after investigators described migrants locked in trailers and stash houses, including one search that turned up 101 people crammed together. Twelve were unaccompanied minors who told authorities they struggled to breathe and feared for their lives.
U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo handed Nunez a 120-month prison term, followed by three years of supervised release, and then tacked on a consecutive 12 months for a supervised-release violation. That brought his total to 132 months behind bars, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas. Nunez had pleaded guilty on Feb. 6, 2025, and prosecutors said the scheme generated “substantial illicit profits” for both him and Cartel del Noreste.
How Investigators Say The Smuggling Ring Operated
Court filings and local reporting describe an operation that handled transport, housing and staging for migrants, with Nunez’s crew using stash houses, scouting vehicles and tractor-trailers to move people north. A search of a trailer and his home turned up video and ledgers listing names and payment codes, multiple cell phones and $36,829 in cash, according to the Laredo Morning Times.
Cartel Ties And The Court’s Take
Federal prosecutors said Nunez worked directly with Cartel del Noreste and was responsible for smuggling more than 1,900 people into the United States. The court called the scope of the smuggling enterprise extraordinary, describing it as “the largest number of aliens smuggled” the judge had seen, as reported by the San Antonio Express-News.
What Happens Next
Nunez remains in federal custody while he awaits transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility. The judgment orders forfeiture of the cash seized during the investigation, and court records show he waived his right to appeal, according to the Laredo Morning Times. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Scott Bowling handled the prosecution for the Southern District’s criminal division.
The case is one of a flurry of related prosecutions in South Texas as federal authorities continue to go after cartel-linked smuggling networks, a pattern reflected in recent local coverage of indictments and sentences. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also posted its statement to X, and hundreds of immigration-related cases were filed by the Southern District in early January alongside several high-profile smuggling convictions this spring.
