Illegal Alien Sentenced in Del Rio to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Deadly Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens

DEL RIO, Texas - An illegal alien from Mexico was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 15 years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in death, announced U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2025, Alan Vargas-Gonzalez, 23, of Huetamo, Michoacan, Mexico, was apprehended along with five illegal aliens near Eagle Pass. An investigation revealed that Vargas-Gonzalez was the foot guide of the group of illegal aliens. Agents noted that all the individuals had a backpack with food and/or water, and that Vargas-Gonzalez was the only person not wearing camouflage clothing and the only one that did not have carpet glued to the bottom of his shoes.

Further investigation connected Vargas-Gonzalez with a previous smuggling attempt that resulted in the death of a female Guatemalan in March 2025. A forensic examination of Vargas-Gonzalez's cellphone revealed information that corroborated his involvement in the fatal smuggling event, including conversations with other co-conspirators related to human smuggling.

Vargas-Gonzalez was arrested April 17, 2025, and indicted on May 14, 2025. A superseding indictment filed on Oct. 1 charged him with one count of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and one count of illegal alien transportation causing serious bodily injury. He pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge on Nov. 17. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez presided over the case.

The U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley Ellis-Dotson prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nallely Duarte handled the sentencing hearing.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

###