A Texas man known as "Panda" has been sentenced to four and a half years in federal prison for his leading role in a human smuggling scheme involving 2,500 migrants, announced the U.S. Attorney's Office of the Western District of Texas on Wednesday.
Isai Orona, 35, received his sentence after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transport and transporting undocumented immigrants into the United States. Court documents revealed messages sent through WhatsApp in which Orona was identified as the organizer of the smuggling scheme.
The defendant later admitted to his role in the smuggling of over 2,500 people into the country within a six-month span back in 2023. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, "car loads" of migrants were taken to Albuquerque, New Mexico, and "on to other locations."
"Panda" admitted to collaborating with a network of drivers who helped smuggle people into the United States in at least 12 vehicles linked to him. One of those vehicles was inspected by Border Patrol agents in El Paso. The driver was arrested after the agents found nine undocumented immigrants inside the car, which was registered to Orona.
Orona was arrested on Nov. 20, 2023, and pleaded guilty on July 12, 2024. In addition to his sentence, the court entered a money judgment against Orona of $250,000.
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