Twelve sentenced in multi-million dollar currency smuggling case, another in illegal gun purchases

Hidalgo Port of Entry

Twelve defendants who tried to smuggle $3.1 million in U.S. currency hidden in luggage from south Texas into Mexico will spend up to two and a half years in federal prison, while another man was sentenced to more than four years for illegal gun purchases in the area.

The sentence in  the currency smuggling case culminates an investigation that began in September 2010 when U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) agents stopped a southbound commercial passenger bus at the Hidalgo, TX, port of entry. A search of passenger luggage uncovered $3.19 million dollars sealed in air mattresses hidden in luggage, said a Jan. 25 statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas. All 13 passengers on the bus subsequently pled guilty and admitted to intentionally concealing the currency, said the attorney’s office. U.S. federal law stipulates that monetary sums over $10,000 have to be declared before leaving the United States with the intention of taking the currency to Mexico.

U.S. legal permanent resident aliens Pedro Sanchez-Aviles, 45, of Atlanta, GA, and Margarita Patricia Jones, 51, of Cartersville, GA, were sentenced to 28 and 21 months in prison, respectively, said the attorney’s office. Mexican citizens Rene Espinoza-Borjas, 47, and Irma Echeverria-Vega, 52, and Marcial Santana-Aleman, 48, a Mexican citizen who is a legal permanent resident residing in Buford, GA, have all remained in custody since there arrest on Sept. 26, 2010, and were sentenced to time served today, said the office. 

Maria Urieta, 50, and Leticia Urieta-Aguirre, 21, both of Smyrna, GA received sentences of 36 and 18 months in prison, respectively and. Bianca Tapia-Pineda, of Cartersville, GA., Alejandro Camacho, of Norcross, GA., and Elizabeth Cornejo, also of Norcross, will serve six months in prison, while Jobanni and Gabriella Hernandez, both of Atlanta, Ga., each received a sentence of 18 months confinement, said the U.S. Attorney’s Office.  

Another defendant, Jonathan Gaona, 21, of Yadkinville, NC, failed to appear for sentencing and is on the run, said the office. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.  

In a separate case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said a South Texas man will three years for illegal gun purchases in the area.

Jesus Rodriguez, 26, of Pharr, TX, was sentenced on Jan. 25 to 40 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release. Rodriguez’ conviction follows his guilty plea in April to lying on an Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) form when he bought 20 guns.

ATF agents initiated an investigation when they heard Rodriguez appeared to be “straw” purchasing a firearm in November 2008. A straw purchase is any purchase wherein the buyer knowingly acquires an item or service for someone who is, for whatever reason, unable to purchase it for themselves.

ATF agents later learned Rodriguez had bought additional firearms. In interviews with ATF agents, Rodriguez admitted he lied on the ATF forms when he bought the guns and had said the firearms were for him. Rodriguez admitted to forcing his wife to purchase firearms and said he knew the firearms were destined for Mexico. Rodriguez purchased a total of 20 firearms over a seven-month period beginning November 2008, said a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Texas.

Rodriguez will remain in custody, said the attorney’s office, pending transfer to a Bureau of Prisons facility where he will serve his sentence, said the attorney’s office.