Press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas
A federal jury convicted a Lawful Permanent Resident from Mexico today for two counts related to her attempt to smuggle two illegal aliens further into the United States from Eagle Pass to San Antonio, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, in January, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended Juanita Elizabeth Medina, 57, of Coahuila, Mexico, at the Eagle Pass immigration checkpoint on Highway 57. Medina and her co-defendant Roque Manuel De Hoyos were on their way to San Antonio with two illegal aliens in the vehicle.
During an immigration inspection, Medina provided numerous inconsistent statements to agents about her relationship with the two illegal aliens. A search revealed 2.75 grams of methamphetamine, a pipe with substance residue, and three cellphones, two of which she did not have the passcodes to.
Medina and her co-defendant De Hoyos were arrested in January and charged with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens, and one count of transportation of illegal aliens. De Hoyos pleaded guilty to both counts in May. Medina’s jury trial began on Sept. 22 and resulted in a guilty verdict on both counts. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the trial.
U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Perez and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Shilling are prosecuting the case. Bertha Meza and Marisol Rangel provided valuable litigation support throughout the trial and preparation.
