The following information was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
As the result of a Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) investigation, a brother and sister were both sentenced this week to life in prison and 33 years in prison, respectively, for their roles in a large-scale alien smuggling organization (ASO) directly linked to the Cartel De Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG).
“The individuals sentenced today for coordinating these crimes are a stark reminder of the deadly consequences of human trafficking across the southern border,” said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche. “Under this Administration and this Department of Justice, such heinous criminal conduct and collaboration with deadly Mexican cartels will not be tolerated.”
“The reach of Mexican drug cartels does not stop at the border,” said U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. “This violent, cartel-backed Alien Smuggling Organization operated for years in this country, endangering the lives and livelihood of so many. This case shows why our goal of eliminating Mexican drug cartels and their affiliates is worthy, necessary, and in the best interest of the American people. Working shoulder-to-shoulder with our HSTF partners, the Western District of Texas will continue to aggressively lead the way.”
“HSI Eagle Pass’s unwavering commitment to justice has resulted in the lengthy imprisonment of two ruthless human smugglers whose actions led to hostage taking and the tragic loss of life,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) San Antonio. “This sentencing sends a powerful message: HSI will never tolerate those who exploit and endanger innocent lives for profit. The success of this HSTF investigation highlights the vital importance of collaboration. Our agents, working closely with dedicated law enforcement partners, dismantled Guzman’s criminal enterprise and ensured they face the full weight of justice. By combining our resources and expertise through the HSTF, we safeguard our communities and bring the most dangerous offenders to justice.”
According to court documents, Edgar Daniel Guzman, 32, of Albertville, Alabama, was a leader and organizer of a transnational criminal organization that operated in Mexico and across the southern United States — including Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas — since at least 2021.
Between 2021 and 2026, the ASO committed numerous acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, home invasion and armed kidnapping. In his role, Guzman coordinated several failed alien smuggling attempts on behalf of the ASO and maintained CashApp accounts that revealed direct ties to co-conspirators and financial transactions connecting to corresponding smuggling events.
Guzman pleaded guilty on July 21, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to commit hostage taking. He was sentenced June 22 to life in prison.
Guzman’s sister, Jesika Guzman-Garcia, 35, an illegal alien from Guanajuato, Mexico, was one of many co-conspirators in the ASO. She was tied to a smuggling event that resulted in the deaths of the smuggling load driver and two illegal aliens.
An investigation revealed that a CashApp account belonging to Guzman-Garcia was linked to several failed human smuggling events within the Western District of Texas. Using the app, Guzman-Garcia made 459 payments totaling $84,046 between July 25, 2018, and April 1, 2023.
Guzman-Garcia pleaded guilty Aug. 7, 2025, to one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death. She was sentenced June 23 to 405 months in federal prison.
Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses of the Western District of Texas sentenced Guzman and Guzman-Garcia and presides over the case. More related sentencings are scheduled in the coming months.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner for the Western District of Texas prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of the Homeland Security Task Force initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion.
The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs federal law enforcement efforts toward identifying, investigating and prosecuting crimes committed by these organizations.
The task force places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting child trafficking and other crimes involving children while also using all available tools to prosecute and remove violent criminal aliens from the United States.
The HSTF includes agents and officers from the FBI, ICE Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, ATF, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Department of Transportation, IRS Criminal Investigation, Texas Department of Public Safety, and local police departments and sheriff’s offices. Prosecution is led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
