Toolbox Smuggler: San Antonio resident sentenced in Brownsville

A Brownsville-based federal judge sentenced a San Antonio man to nearly two years in prison for holding two undocumented immigrants inside a toolbox and trying to smuggle them north.

A Brownsville-based federal judge sentenced a San Antonio man to nearly two years in prison for holding two undocumented immigrants inside a toolbox and trying to smuggle them north.

The United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Texas, announced in a press release that U.S. District Judge Rolando Olvera sentenced Richard Sanchez, 34, Wednesday to 21 months in prison and a year of supervised release.

He pleaded guilty to transporting undocumented immigrants on Nov. 7, 2017, according to the USAO.

On Oct. 10, 2017, law enforcement stopped the pick-up truck Sanchez was driving near Raymondville and discovered two undocumented immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala inside a toolbox attached to the vehicle after Sanchez consented to a search, the USAO reported.

“They could not escape the toolbox due to a ladder leaning over it,” the press release states. “Further, it had to be unlatched from the outside in order to be opened.”

During the hearing, testimony was provided to the court about the inhumane and dangerous treatment of the undocumented immigrants.