A Honduran national has been charged with smuggling 51 people in a refrigerated tractor-trailer, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei. The accused, Greibein Alexis Pinot-Duarte, age 50, is scheduled for his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Diana Song Quiroga on November 25.
Authorities allege that on November 22, Pinot-Duarte drove the trailer to a Border Patrol checkpoint near Freer, Texas. Officials say they became suspicious due to his nervous behavior and a K-9 unit alerted them to possible humans or narcotics at the rear of the vehicle.
During secondary inspection, law enforcement officers found that the trailer’s temperature was set at 55 degrees and contained numerous boxes of produce. According to the complaint, officers also noticed what appeared to be a person’s silhouette through a plywood compartment beneath the boxes.
Further search revealed 51 undocumented individuals inside a cramped hidden compartment within the trailer, including two juveniles. Many reportedly lacked jackets or means to stay warm and complained about numbness or cramped limbs because of limited space.
The compartment was described as so small that only one person could exit at a time. Produce boxes weighing between 30 and 40 pounds were stacked above them, making escape impossible without outside help.
If convicted of these charges, Pinot-Duarte faces up to ten years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with support from Border Patrol agents. Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew P. Hakala-Finch is prosecuting the case.
This prosecution falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide Department of Justice initiative aimed at combating illegal immigration and dismantling transnational criminal organizations involved in violent crime.
“A criminal complaint is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law,” stated officials in connection with this case.
