A Houston resident has been found guilty of smuggling illegal aliens further into the United States. The U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced the conviction of 66-year-old Armando Balladares-Prado, who has lived in the country as a lawful permanent resident since 1989.
The jury reached a verdict after an hour of deliberation following a two-day trial. On May 5, 2024, Balladares-Prado approached a Border Patrol checkpoint south of Falfurrias for an immigration inspection. Although he appeared nervous, he consented to an x-ray examination of his tractor-trailer, which was empty but sealed and locked as if carrying cargo.
Authorities discovered two Guatemalan citizens hidden under the sleeper compartment bed in his vehicle. Testimonies indicated that Balladares-Prado instructed these individuals on how to evade detection by law enforcement.
The defense argued that the aliens had entered the truck themselves and pulled down the bed to hide. However, evidence contradicted this claim, leading to the jury’s decision to convict Balladares-Prado.
U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos presided over the trial and scheduled sentencing for September 3. Balladares-Prado could face up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
After being released on bond earlier, he was taken into custody post-conviction and will remain detained until sentencing.
The investigation was conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Griffith prosecuted the case.
This conviction is part of Operation Take Back America, an initiative aiming to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators.
