A man from Katy, Texas, identified as Kevin Dominguez, has been sentenced to 18 months in prison by a federal court in Del Rio for assaulting and resisting law enforcement officers. The incident occurred on August 1, 2023, when Dominguez drove a sedan to a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 57.
According to court documents, a USBP canine alerted agents to the trunk of the vehicle, which led to the discovery of an individual inside. Upon realizing the situation, Dominguez attempted to flee, backing up and striking a USBP agent with his vehicle. This prompted a high-speed chase, during which a USBP helicopter observed two occupants exit the vehicle and flee into an open field. One of the individuals was later confirmed to be an undocumented noncitizen from Honduras. Dominguez was indicted on September 13, 2023, arrested the following day, and pleaded guilty on January 24, 2024.
Related Arrests in El Paso
In a separate case, the FBI announced the arrest of four individuals in El Paso, Texas, connected to a plot to smuggle people across the border. Agents from the Ysleta Border Patrol Station’s Disrupt Unit were monitoring a motel in El Paso when they observed suspicious activity involving a vehicle with a temporary license plate. The driver, Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, was found to be living in the U.S. illegally and admitted to his status.
Accompanying him were Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo and Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, who were also arrested for being in the U.S. illegally. During the investigation, agents discovered seven additional undocumented individuals in the motel room, all of whom were arrested.
As the investigation concluded, Jesus David Reyes-Villagran, the driver of the first vehicle, returned to the motel and claimed ownership of the room where the migrants were being held. He allegedly admitted to dropping off five other undocumented individuals at another hotel.
The four individuals involved in this smuggling operation could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted. The U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other legal factors will be considered by a federal district court judge when determining their sentences.
Additional Arrests
Federal officials also apprehended a Honduran citizen, Melvin Armando Funes-Canales, who had been deported multiple times and was found in custody in Austin on charges related to illegal re-entry. Funes-Canales had previously been deported on October 9, 2020, and had a criminal history that included burglary and grand theft. He faces a potential sentence of up to 10 years for illegal re-entry if found guilty.
These cases highlight ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address illegal immigration and human smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border.
