A federal judge in South Texas sentenced a 24-year-old man to more than 21 years in prison for his role in a human smuggling operation that resulted in three deaths.
Abraham J. Ahumada, of Laredo, was also ordered to pay $4,077 in restitution and will face five years of supervised release after serving his sentence.
The sentence followed an investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Ahumada had pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2022.
During the hearing, the court heard evidence that Ahumada showed no remorse for his actions and even laughed about them. The defense argued that he struggled with ADHD and a learning disability, but the judge stated that these conditions were common among law-abiding individuals.
On November 13, 2021, Ahumada drove a black Nissan Murano down U.S. Highway 83 and fled from law enforcement when they attempted to pull him over. He accelerated above the speed limit and disregarded a red light, ultimately colliding with a passenger vehicle, which resulted in three fatalities.
The two individuals in Ahumada’s car and a woman in the other vehicle were killed. In addition, three children suffered bodily injuries and were taken to a local hospital for treatment.
HSI San Antonio’s acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee stated that “smuggling people is extremely dangerous for all involved” and that HSI will continue to work to bring these criminals to justice.
U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani added that “this human smuggler’s reckless behavior took three lives and ruined his own.”
Ahumada will be transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility in the near future, where he will serve his sentence.