Texas Man Sentenced for Assaulting Federal Agent During Human Smuggling Attempt
A man from Katy, Texas, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to assaulting a federal law enforcement officer during an attempted human smuggling operation.
According to a press release from the FBI, 26-year-old Kevin Dominguez drove a sedan to a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 57 near Del Rio, Texas, on August 1, 2023. A USBP canine alerted agents to the trunk of the vehicle, where they discovered an undocumented individual hiding inside.
When a USBP agent opened the trunk, Dominguez reversed the vehicle and struck the agent before fleeing the scene. A high-speed pursuit followed, during which a Border Patrol helicopter observed two individuals exiting the vehicle into an open field. One of them was later apprehended and identified as an undocumented migrant from Honduras.
Dominguez was indicted on a two-count federal indictment on September 13, 2023, and arrested the following day. He entered a guilty plea on January 24, 2024. His sentence was handed down in federal court in Del Rio.
Human Smuggling Ring Busted in El Paso
In a separate case, four individuals were arrested in El Paso, Texas, for their alleged roles in a human smuggling operation involving multiple undocumented migrants.
According to court records, agents from the Ysleta Border Patrol Station’s Disrupt Unit were conducting surveillance on a local motel when they spotted a vehicle with a temporary license plate that had been seen at several hotels associated with smuggling activity. The vehicle’s driver briefly entered the motel lobby before leaving.
Shortly afterward, agents observed three individuals exiting a motel room and entering another vehicle—also with a temporary license plate. The driver, identified as Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, admitted to being a Mexican national living in the U.S. illegally. The two passengers, Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo and Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, were also undocumented migrants and confirmed that additional undocumented individuals were in the motel.
A subsequent investigation uncovered seven more undocumented migrants inside the room. As agents continued their operation, they encountered Jesus David Reyes-Villagran returning to the motel. He approached the room and stated it was his. He also admitted to recently transporting five undocumented individuals to another location in El Paso.
All four suspects—Aguilar-Flores, Carrillo-Carrillo, Lopez-Acevedo, and Reyes-Villagran—now face federal charges related to human smuggling. If convicted, each could face up to 10 years in prison. Sentences will be determined based on U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors.
Repeat Offender Arrested for Illegal Re-Entry
Federal agents in Austin also arrested a Honduran national, 39-year-old Melvin Armando Funes-Canales, on charges of illegal re-entry following multiple previous deportations and criminal convictions.
Court documents show that Funes-Canales was located in the Williamson County jail on or around July 16, 2024, after being arrested on suspicion of possessing a controlled substance. Further investigation revealed that he had been deported from the United States on six prior occasions, most recently on October 9, 2020.
His criminal record includes convictions for burglary, grand theft, and prior illegal re-entry. If convicted again, Funes-Canales could face up to 10 years in federal prison. Sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory considerations.