These are the golden scales of justice, which stand in for the courts and judicial system. They are displayed against a black background and are lopsided, with the left side of the scale being heavier than the right. (Image courtesy of Joe Sohm/Visions of Ame)
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A Horizon City man admitted to smuggling over 2,500 undocumented noncitizens within approximately six months in 2023.
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He has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison.
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He also admitted to having a network of drivers to transport undocumented noncitizens in at least 12 vehicles.
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A Horizon City man admitted to smuggling over 2,500 undocumented noncitizens within approximately six months in 2023.
-
He has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison.
-
He also admitted to having a network of drivers to transport undocumented noncitizens in at least 12 vehicles.
Texas:A man from West Texas who planned a smuggling scheme involving thousands of undocumented immigrants will serve years in prison.
Human Smuggling Scheme
The backstory
Isai Orona, a 35-year-old man known as Panda, was named as the mastermind behind the human smuggling plot in court documents.
In 2023, Orona acknowledged smuggling more than 2,500 unauthorized noncitizens in around six months.
Undocumented noncitizens were transported in large car loads to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and beyond. Additionally, he acknowledged using a network of drivers to transport unauthorized foreign nationals in at least 12 cars that he had either acquired himself or assisted others in obtaining.
The group utilized WhatsApp to coordinate illicit behavior, and Orona had been recognized in those conversations.
Additionally, the car used to transport nine unauthorized noncitizens in El Paso was registered to Orona when U.S. Border Patrol officials detained a co-conspirator.
Penalties:
On Nov. 20, 2023, Orona was taken into custody. On July 12, 2024, he entered a guilty plea to one count of carrying aliens and one count of conspiracy to transport aliens.
A term of 54 months in federal prison has been imposed against him.
The court imposed a $250,000 monetary judgment on Orona in addition to his incarceration.
The Western District of Texas’s U.S. Attorney, Jaime Esparza, provided the information for this story.
