Mexican citizen and felon imprisoned for smuggling illegal aliens

McALLEN, Texas - A 32-year-old Mexican man who illegally resided in Roma, Texas has been ordered to federal prison for human smuggling, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Allan Eduardo Mar-Uballe pleaded guilty Dec. 12, 2024.

U.S. District Judge Drew B. Tipton has now ordered Mar-Uballe to serve 37 months in federal prison to be immediately followed by 3 years of supervised release. Not a U.S. citizen, Mar-Uballe is expected to face removal proceedings following the sentence. Mar-Uballe has prior convictions for illegal reentry into the United States, assault on a federal officer and possession of a controlled substance.

"Mr. Mar-Uballe's prior convictions obviously did not dissuade him from engaging in dangerous criminal activity," said Ganjei. "His actions put the lives of law enforcement, innocent motorists, and every person in his vehicle at risk that day. Hopefully his new stay in federal prison will give him time to learn the lessons his earlier convictions didn't teach him."

On Oct. 22, 2024, Mar-Uballe was driving a Ford Expedition with the back seats and seatbelts removed near Roma. Inside the vehicle were 18 illegal aliens, including two unaccompanied minors.

Authorities attempted to stop the vehicle, but Mar-Uballe evaded at a high rate of speed and drove erratically through the streets of Roma, disregarding stop signs and other vehicles, before crashing into a ditch. Several inside the vehicle sustained injuries.

Mar-Uballe and the others were all determined to be in the United States illegally and from the countries of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic.

Mar-Uballe will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan prosecuted the case.

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 and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhood.