Texas woman arrested for allegedly smuggling illegal immigrants hidden inside box truck
DPS said 43-year-old Silvia Patricia Santamaria, of Houston, was arrested and charged with 25 counts of human smuggling and has since been booked into the Live Oak County Jail.
Just after 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, a concerned citizen approached a DPS trooper at a truck stop along Interstate 37 in George West, Texas, regarding a minor crash that happened in the parking lot.
When the trooper contacted the driver of a white 2005 International box truck involved in the crash, later identified as Santamaria, she allegedly told the law enforcement official she was driving to Houston after picking up mattresses in Alton, Texas.
DPS said the trooper noticed inconsistencies in Santamaria's travel plans and asked for consent to search the truck.
With assistance from the George West Police Department, the trooper discovered 25 illegal immigrants inside a small corner of the box truck who were attempting to hide behind 30 mattresses and inside a crawl space within the truck's wall, DPS said.
DPS added that there was no ventilation inside the truck.
The group of immigrants comprised of 12 males, 12 females and an 11-year-old child.
All the migrants were from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, India, Cuba, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, DPS said.
The illegal immigrants were removed from the truck and received medical evaluation before being referred to the U.S. Border Patrol.
In 2022, San Antonio officials discovered 51 dead immigrants inside an abandoned tractor trailer.
Officials said at the time they believed the truck was abandoned after it experienced mechanical problems.
A city worker discovered the trailer after hearing a cry from inside the trailer.
At least 46 migrants were found dead at the scene and more died in hospitals.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell moved to Texas prison
Ghislaine Maxwell, an associate of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, has been transferred from a prison in the southern US state of Florida to a lower security facility in Texas, the Bureau of Prisons announced Friday. Maxwell's lawyer, David Markus, also confirmed to the Reuters news agency that she had been transferred to the new facility. Maxwell is currently serving a 20 year sentence behind bars on charges of child sex trafficking. She is accused of grooming underage girls for Epstein to sexually abuse. US authorities did not explain the reason why Maxwell was transferred to a new facility in Bryan, Texas. She was earlier imprisoned at FCI Tallahassee in Tallahassee, Florida. The minimum-security Federal Prison Camp Bryan where Maxwell is now housed has better conditions than the low-security FCI Tallahassee in Florida. Federal Prison Camp Bryan has little to no perimeter fencing and a lower staff-to-inmate ratio, whereas FCI Tallahassee has double-fenced perimeters fencing and more prison staff on site. How have Epstein and Maxwell victims reacted? Victims of Epstein and Maxwell have condemned Maxwell's move to a lower-security prison. "Ghislaine Maxwell is a sexual predator who physically assaulted minor children on multiple occasions, and she should never be shown any leniency," Annie and Marie Farmer and the family of Virginia Giuffre said in response to the transfer. They said the transfer "smacks of a cover up." Annie and Marie Farmer have accused Epstein of molestation, whereas Giuffre has alleged that she was sex trafficked by Epstein to Prince Andrew, a member of the British royal family. Giuffre took her own life in April. Maxwell's transfer comes as Trump admin faces 'Epstein files' firestorm The transfer occurred after Maxwell recently met with US Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche. It comes as Maxwell is appealing her prison sentence and the US President Donald Trump's administration is facing criticism over its handling of the Epstein case. Last month, the US Justice Department said that Epstein did not have a "client list" and that he did indeed kill himself in his prison cell in 2019. Both of those claims were met with skepticism from many Trump supporters, who urged the Trump administration to release more information on the Epstein case. The scandal regarding the so-called "Epstein files" is of a personal nature for Trump, who once was friends with Epstein. The disgraced New York financier had even said he was Trump's "closest friend" in recordings released by author Michael Wolff last year. The meetings between Blanche and Maxwell recently have sparked rumors that Trump could use presidential pardon powers to legally forgive Maxwell's federal charges. Trump has claimed he has the authority to pardon Maxwell, although Virginia Giuffre's family have urged him not to do so. Trump said in an interview with conservative US outlet Newsmax that "nobody's asked" him to pardon Maxwell. Edited by: Rana Taha
CBS News
6 minutes ago
- CBS News
Miami pastor, alleged fake immigration attorney charged in $21,000 fraud scheme, MDSO says
A Miami pastor and an alleged unlicensed immigration attorney face felony charges after authorities said they defrauded at least 16 victims out of more than $21,000, according to the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office. Authorities said Nelson David Ochoa Vazquez, 46, and Ismer Gonzalez, 44, were arrested July 31, following an investigation into a months-long scheme involving fraudulent immigration services. Detectives said the men operated the fraud between April 18, 2024, and January 18, 2025. Ochoa Vazquez allegedly used his church, La Iglesia de Dios Jireh at 4900 SW 118th Ave., to connect victims to Gonzalez, who falsely claimed to be an immigration attorney able to help them obtain driver's licenses and work permits. Victims were instructed to pay through Zelle or cash. Zelle payments were sent to a business called Brothers Multiservicio LLC, registered solely to Gonzalez, while cash payments went directly to Ochoa Vazquez, according to the sheriff's office. Authorities said none of the promised services were delivered, nor were any refunds provided. A search of Florida Bar records confirmed neither Gonzalez nor Ochoa Vazquez is licensed to practice law in Florida and both were confirmed unauthorized by direct inquiry to the Bar, detectives reported. Subpoenaed bank records showed that Zelle payments were deposited into a Truist account, where Gonzalez was listed as the sole authorized signer. Funds from that account were spent on luxury goods from brands such as Gucci, Dior and Louis Vuitton and on travel to South America and Europe, the arrest report said. Investigators also found that checks from the Brothers Multiservicio LLC account were deposited into a separate Bank of America account solely registered to Ochoa Vazquez. Authorities arrested Ochoa Vazquez at an address in the 12000 block of SW 40th St. in Miami on July 31. He was read his Miranda rights in Spanish, which he acknowledged and waived, according to the report. During an interview, Ochoa Vazquez admitted to working for Gonzalez and receiving cash payments for completing work permit forms. However, detectives noted his statements conflicted with established findings in the case. Ochoa Vazquez and Gonzalez are both facing second-degree felony charges of organized fraud and grand theft. Both are being held without bond pending a Nebbia hearing, where they will have to show that the source of the bail premium and collateral has a legitimate source.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
North Texas sheriff fights surge in fake jury duty scams
Collin County Sheriff Jim Skinner says a wave of scams involving fake jury duty threats is "out of control," prompting a new public awareness campaign aimed at protecting residents and recovering stolen funds. Victims are often contacted by phone or mail and pressured to pay large sums of money under false claims that they or a loved one is facing arrest. The scammers use personal information and convincing tactics to appear legitimate. Skinner said his newly formed cyber crimes unit has executed 800 search warrants and recovered $1.5 million in recent months. The unit is targeting fraudsters who use fake warrants and fabricated legal threats to extort money. One 26-year-old Collin County man was told he was under investigation for credit card fraud. The scammers knew his passwords and demanded his entire savings — $4,000. Flyers are being distributed at convenience stores across Collin County, especially those with cryptocurrency ATMs. Skinner said these machines are often used by victims to deposit money directly into scammers' accounts. Store owners are being asked to monitor transactions and watch for elderly customers who may be vulnerable to fraud. Skinner said he was once targeted himself. "I got a call from someone claiming to be Sheriff Jim Skinner," he said. "They said I missed jury duty and had a warrant out for my arrest. I told them, 'I am Sheriff Jim Skinner — and I promise you, you'll end up in my jail one day.'" Skinner said law enforcement officers will never call to demand money. He emphasized that victims often feel embarrassed, but raising awareness is key to stopping the scams. "These are sophisticated, tech-savvy criminals who have no respect for their fellow man," Skinner said. "The more we talk about it, the harder it becomes for them to succeed."
