HSI Laredo investigation leads to over 21 year sentence for Texas man over deadly human smuggling event
LAREDO, Texas — A federal judge sentenced a South Texas man to more than 21 years in federal prison on Feb. 10 for conspiracy to transport noncitizens resulting in death. The sentence followed an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Texas Department of Public Safety.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez sentenced 24-year-old Abraham J. Ahumada of Laredo to 262 months in prison to be immediately followed by five years of supervised release. The court also ordered him to pay $4,077 in restitution.
The court heard evidence that Ahumada showed no remorse and laughed about his crime. The defense argued he grew up with ADHD and a learning disability, struggled in school, and fell into crime. Alvarez said that such conditions, while difficult, are also common among law-abiding people.
Ahumada pleaded guilty May 4, 2022.
“The deadly outcome in this case is heartbreaking and just one more example of how smugglers are driven by greed by placing personal profit ahead of public safety,” said HSI San Antonio acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “This defendant will spend more than 21 years in federal prison for his actions. Smuggling people is extremely dangerous for all involved, and HSI will continue to work aggressively to bring these criminals to justice.”
“Three people are dead because of this human smuggler’s reckless behavior,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “Traveling over 100 miles per hour on a highly trafficked rural highway, his actions caused one victim to be ejected from the vehicle and another to be killed on impact — his body trapped inside the burning car. This man took three lives, ruined his own, and will pay the price in federal prison for decades.”
According to court documents, on Nov. 13, 2021, Ahumada drove a black Nissan Murano down U.S. Highway 83. Law enforcement officers attempted to pull him over, but he fled and accelerated above the speed limit. Ahumada disregarded a red light during the pursuit and collided with a passenger vehicle, which had the right of way, crossing the intersection. The collision resulted in three deaths. Two individuals in Ahumada’s vehicle were pronounced dead on the scene, and so was a woman who was traveling in the struck vehicle with children. The three children suffered bodily injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
Ahumada will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Francisco J. Rodriguez of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case.
HSI San Antonio continues to address the serious public safety threat posed by human smuggling organizations and their reckless disregard for the health and safety of the people they exploit. To report suspicious smuggling activity, call 866-348-2423.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), responsible for investigating transnational crime and threats, specifically those criminal organizations that exploit the global infrastructure through which international trade, travel, and finance move. HSI’s workforce of more than 8,700 employees consists of more than 6,000 special agents assigned to 237 cities throughout the United States, and 93 overseas locations in 56 countries. HSI’s international presence represents DHS’s largest investigative law enforcement presence abroad and one of the largest international footprints in U.S. law enforcement.
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