Tempe man caught smuggling migrants near Arizona-Mexico border sentenced to prison
TEMPE, AZ (AZFamily) — A man from Tempe has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation after pleading guilty earlier this year.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday he was ordered to spend two years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty in March to a charge of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit.
Court documents state Homeland Security agents began an investigation in September 2022 into smuggling attempts arranged through social media.
During the investigation, agents found an Instagram account belonging to Ochoa-Renteria and discovered multiple instances in which Ochoa-Renteria made recruitment efforts and coordinated smuggling between June and September 2022.
On May 14, 2023, Ochoa-Renteria was stopped by Arizona Department of Public Safety troopers for speeding near Sierra Vista. In that stop, troopers and assisting Border Patrol agents found two men dressed in camouflage in the trunk of Ochoa-Renteria’s vehicle. Agents determined the men were Guatemalan and Mexican nationals who were illegally present in the U.S.
Documents state that Ochoa-Renteria admitted he was aware that the men were in the country illegally and agreed to transport them for $200 to $300 each.
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