A man was sentenced to prison for transporting 15 migrants inside the after-market compartment of a Penske box truck, according to court documents.
Christian Ayala had pleaded guilty on Sept. 16 to conspiracy to transport migrants. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Marina Garcia Marmolejo sentenced Ayala to 18 months in prison followed by two years of supervised release.
The case dates back to July 11, when Ayala drove a Penske box truck to the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint on Interstate 35. Agents referred the vehicle to secondary inspection after a K-9 unit alerted to possible contraband, and Ayala stated that he did not have identification.
In secondary, the K-9 unit alerted again to the back of the truck. Agents opened the back of the truck to find an empty compartment. However, an X-ray scan revealed anomalies that appeared to be individuals hidden in a non-factory compartment behind a false wall.
An agent spent 35 minutes removing the screws covering the false wall. When agents accessed the compartment, they discovered 15 individuals who had crossed the border illegally. One individual was determined to be an unaccompanied minor from Mexico.
“The (15) individuals were covered in sweat and appeared to be dehydrated,” states the affidavit.
Ayala stated he would get paid $4,000 to drive the Penske truck to San Antonio. Cellphone data extraction revealed Ayala conspired with Kevin Galvez and others to transport migrants in the Penske truck.
“A video recorded on July 8, 2021, revealed Ayala and Galvez inside the Penske box truck inspecting the false wall and after-market compartment,” states the affidavit.
On Oct. 14, Galvez pleaded guilty to human smuggling conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing.