Mexican Man Sent To Prison In South Texas Smuggling Death
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McALLEN (AP) — A man from Mexico was sentenced to 12½ years in prison for taking part in a human smuggling operation that resulted in the death of a woman.
Prosecutors say Victor Manuel Moreno-Ruiz, 32, had pleaded guilty for serving as a foot guide responsible for smuggling a group of individuals into the United States near the South Texas city of Pharr in August 2014.
An investigator testified at Moreno-Ruiz's sentencing hearing Monday that a woman who was part of the group that Moreno-Ruiz helped smuggle into the country fell from a bridge and was severely injured. Officials say Moreno-Ruiz had the woman moved from the main road to a brushy area so as not to compromise the smuggling route.
The woman's body was discovered by officers the next day.
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