Texas Man Who Pleaded Guilty To Smuggling 36 People Inside a Trailer Said He Was Paid $1,000 Per Person

A U.S. Customs and Border Protection patch on the uniform of Rodolfo Karisch, Rio Grande Valley sector chief patrol agent for the U.S. Border Patrol. (Credit: Alex Edelman/Getty Images)

A South Texas man has pleaded guilty to smuggling 36 undocumented individuals in the back of a tractor-trailer, stating that he was promised $1,000 per person transported across the border. The case, investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and U.S. Border Patrol, underscores ongoing human smuggling efforts at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Eusebio Cavazos, 33, of Alamo, admitted to transporting undocumented immigrants and faces up to five years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled for sentencing on May 15, as ICE reported through an official statement on its website.