Juan Francisco Reyna, a 21-year-old from Laredo, Texas, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for smuggling over 100 migrants, including unaccompanied minors, across the U.S.-Mexico border. Reyna pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens and was additionally sentenced for reckless endangerment and his role as a leader in the smuggling operation. Over at least five years, Reyna repeatedly attempted to move migrants through the Interstate 35 Border Patrol checkpoint near Laredo, operated multiple stash houses, and coordinated smuggling routes using various vehicles and remote walking paths to evade detection.

Reyna recruited others to assist in transporting migrants to cities across the U.S., collected bulk cash proceeds, and used social media for coordination and recruitment. He paid “scout” drivers to monitor checkpoint conditions and deliberately scheduled smuggling runs during adverse weather to reduce the chance of being caught. His arrest in November 2024 followed a brief chase after picking up migrants, including an unaccompanied minor. Authorities also seized cash and ammunition from a stash house linked to Reyna, highlighting the extensive and organized nature of his smuggling network.