A Texas man has been sentenced to federal prison for his involvement in a human smuggling operation that brought thousands of illegal immigrants into the United States.
Isai Orona, also known as “Panda,” received a 54-month sentence for conspiracy to transport aliens and transportation of aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Texas.
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A Texas man was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to transport aliens and transporting aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas. (iStock)
Court documents revealed that Orona was identified as the organizer of the smuggling scheme through WhatsApp communications.
He confessed to smuggling over 2,500 illegal immigrants into the U.S. over a six-month period in 2023, with many of them being taken to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Isai Orona, aka “Panda,” admitted to smuggling more than 2,500 illegal immigrants into the U.S. (AP Photo/Eric Gay, File)
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He also revealed that he had a team of drivers who assisted him in smuggling the illegal immigrants in at least 12 vehicles. When Border Patrol agents arrested a co-conspirator for transporting nine illegal immigrants in El Paso, they found that the car was registered to Orona.
A co-conspirator working with Isai Orona was arrested for smuggling nine illegal immigrants in El Paso, Texas.
Orona was arrested on Nov. 20, 2023, and pleaded guilty to the charges on July 12, 2024.
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In addition to his prison sentence, he was also ordered to pay a $250,000 money judgment.
