South Texan must serve 2 decades in prison for fatal human smuggling
Human smuggling along the border is a growing crisis. For law enforcement in southwest Arizona, it’s a daily occurrence. (NewsNation photo)
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McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — A South Texas man must serve 20 years in prison for human smuggling and harboring undocumented migrants that resulted in death, authorities say.
Orlando Andres Garcia, 24, of Mission, Texas, pleaded guilty in federal court in McAllen to human smuggling resulting in death and conspiracy to harbor undocumented migrants within the United States, U.S. Attorney Alamdar Hamdani said.
U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez, of McAllen, sentenced Garcia to a total of 271 months in prison, but some of that will be served consecutively, resulting in a total sentence of 20 years, Hamdani said Thursday.
During court testimony, Garcia reportedly encouraged a driver who was transporting undocumented migrants to drive fast as he and another exceeded speeds of 130 mph to evade law enforcement in the Rio Grande Valley, which led to a crash that killed three people.
“Garcia trafficked in humans, not caring about the multiple lives he destroyed,” said Hamdani. “His actions led to the death of three migrants and to the kidnapping of nearly 50 at gunpoint. He saw migrants not as human beings but as property to buy and sell. Now, the only property he can buy or sell for years to come is what he can find in the prison’s commissary.”
The fatal crash occurred on Oct. 22, 2021, and court testimony found that Garcia had been communicating with the other driver, Francisco Javier Quintanilla-Alcocer, 39. Three people were ejected Quintanilla’s car rolled and crashed into a homeowner’s fence in Mission, Texas.
Quintanilla pleaded guilty and is serving a seven-year sentence.
Garcia was involved in another “smuggling scheme and holding people for ransom” just a couple of weeks later, on Nov. 9, according to court documents. Forty-seven people reportedly were held in a stash house an then moved under Garcia’s direction.
Federal officials say 12 others have been convicted in connection with the ransom scheme and received sentences of up to six years. But Garcia received the most, to date.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
