A 21-year-old man from New Orleans has been convicted in a human smuggling case involving the transport of undocumented immigrants from the Texas border to Houston.
Mailon Almendares-Martinez was found guilty of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens after a three-day trial. The jury reached its decision in under an hour.
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According to evidence presented in court, Almendares-Martinez worked with others between Oct. 30 and Nov. 2, 2022, to move migrants from the South Texas border to Houston.
Prosecutors said he recruited friends and associates from New Orleans and offered them between $1,000 and $2,000 for each person they transported.
Investigators revealed that Almendares-Martinez coordinated the pickups through WhatsApp messages and phone calls. After picking up the migrants near the border, the group began their journey back to Houston. Along the way, their vehicle was reportedly shot at by members of a rival smuggling operation, injuring two migrants — one in the arm and another in the leg. One of the victims was a Honduran national who had recently crossed the Rio Grande into the U.S.
Rather than seeking help, Almendares-Martinez instructed the group to continue to Houston without stopping for medical attention, prosecutors said.
The group brought the migrants to a motel in Houston on Nov. 1, 2022. The following day, the migrants escaped. When law enforcement responded, four individuals were taken into custody at the scene: Jonathan Melendez-Merino, 32; Oscar Melendez-Sosa, 22; Cristian Mencias-Padilla, 21; and Cesar Monge-Milla, 25 — all from New Orleans.
Defense attorneys argued that someone else had used Almendares-Martinez’s WhatsApp account to coordinate the operation. The jury rejected that claim and returned a guilty verdict.
“This case demonstrates—like so many cases before it—that human smuggling is an inhumane, dangerous, and sometimes fatal business,” said Ganjei. “Those that smuggle human beings for profit deserve prosecution, and those that would willingly place themselves in a situation to be smuggled need to think twice. Stay home, stay safe.”
U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt presided over the case and scheduled sentencing for Aug. 11. Almendares-Martinez faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. He had been free on bond but was taken into custody following the guilty verdict.
Seven others from New Orleans have already pleaded guilty in connection with the case, including Melendez-Merino, Melendez-Sosa, Mencias-Padilla, Monge-Milla, Yunior Sorto-Ramirez, 23; Bayron Pineda-Alvarado; and Alan Galvez-Baquedano, 22.
The investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations with help from the Houston Police Department.
