“Out of practice” truck driver found guilty of smuggling 110 migrants

A Mexican truck driver has admitted to transporting more than 100 undocumented migrants inside of his trailer back in May. 

36-year-old Marthin Rueda Alcorta guilty plea was announced on July 25th. 

The US Department of Justice reports that Alcorta drove erratically through an inspection lane at a Border Patrol checkpoint north of Laredo, Texas and nearly struck a K9 officer. Authorities eventually got him to stop and conducted a search of the trailer, where they discovered 110 people. 

During his plea, Alcorta admitted that he was desparate for money at the time of the attempted smuggling. He sought out a smuggler himself and agreed to drive the undocumented people from Laredo to San Antonio for $5,000. Although previously a truck driver, Alcorta admitted that he is now “out of practice.”

Alcorta was a border crossing visa holder out of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. He is now facing up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 maximum fine. U.S. District Judge Diana Saldaña will impose sentencing at a later date.