A San Antonio woman was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison and ordered to pay more than $955,000 in restitution for her role in a human smuggling conspiracy that resulted in death, federal authorities announced.
Erica Aracely Carmona, 36, was sentenced Jan. 30 in the U.S. District Court of Del Rio following an investigation by ICE Homeland Security Investigations’ Eagle Pass office.
Carmona, who plead guilty to the charges, was found to have coordinated smuggling operations with co-conspirators in Mexico, directing other members of the conspiracy in regard to payments and driver coordination.
Court documents show Carmona was a member of an Alien Smuggling Organization that transported undocumented immigrants from the Eagle Pass area to San Antonio. The group used custom-modified trailers, including tow-behind units and eventually 18-wheel tractor-trailers retrofitted with hidden compartments and air conditioning to conceal migrants.
On May 25, 2021, a driver with the ASO transported a trailer containing illegal aliens from a residence in Eagle Pass to San Antonio. When the trailer arrived, one of the aliens was near death, and died about one hour later. Co-conspirators dumped the deceased body into a ditch within a few miles of a Von Ormy property belonging to Carmona that was being used as a drop-off location. The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body along with the deceased’s ID card five days later.
“The loss of life in this case is a stark reminder that human smuggling is not just a crime — it is a deadly threat to our communities and those seeking a better future,” said HSI San Antonio acting Special Agent in Charge John A. Pasciucco. “Carmona’s sentencing demonstrates that HSI and our partners will relentlessly pursue and dismantle criminal organizations that prioritize profit over human life. We will not tolerate those who exploit and endanger vulnerable individuals, and we will continue to bring the full weight of justice against anyone responsible for these events.”
Federal law enforcement interdicted the operation, preventing a larger smuggling event involving a tractor-trailer capable of holding up to 40 people in a concealed trap compartment. The organization had escalated from smaller tow-behind trailers to bigger rigs, according to photos and descriptions released by ICE.
The case was prosecuted in the Western District of Texas. Additional details on the smuggling ring’s operations and the specific death are available in related Justice Department announcements.
The sentencing underscores ongoing federal efforts to combat human smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border, where such operations often endanger migrants’ lives for profit. ICE Homeland Security Investigations continues to target these networks in collaboration with other agencies.
