Mexican man arrested trying to smuggle 19 people in Santa Maria

U.S. Border Patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling attempt Monday, March 10, 2025, in Santa Maria. (Courtesy of U.S. Border Patrol)

U.S. Border Patrol agents out of Harlingen arrested a Mexican citizen who had been previously deported after he was found to be attempting to smuggle people illegally present in the United States on Monday, according to a criminal complaint.

Orlando Daniel Hernandez-Cepeda was charged with reentry after deportation and conspiracy to transport individuals illegally present in the country further north.

At about 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Border Patrol agents conducting line watch operations in Santa Maria observed a white van traveling south towards the Rio Grande.

The van came to a stop about 10 to 15 feet west of the Santa Maria pump house.

U.S. Border Patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling attempt Monday, March 10, 2025, in Santa Maria. (Courtesy of U.S. Border Patrol)

U.S. Border Patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling attempt Monday, March 10, 2025, in Santa Maria. (Courtesy of U.S. Border Patrol)

Agents saw a single person open the side door of the van and observed 15 to 20 people running north from the riverbank of the Rio Grande into the van, according to the complaint.

The van then made a U-turn heading towards the Santa Maria canal when agents responded to the area in marked units.

“As agents approached the white van, the driver abruptly turned around and began heading south towards the Rio Grande … along the east side of the Santa Maria canal,” the complaint said. “Agents activated their vehicle’s emergency equipment to effect a vehicle stop on the white cargo van.”

The driver ignored the emergency lights and continued traveling south towards the Rio Grande until it came to a complete stop along the Santa Maria canal about a mile from the river.

U.S. Border Patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling attempt Monday, March 10, 2025, in Santa Maria. (Courtesy of U.S. Border Patrol)

U.S. Border Patrol agents thwarted a human smuggling attempt Monday, March 10, 2025, in Santa Maria. (Courtesy of U.S. Border Patrol)

Agents exited their marked units quickly in an attempt to prevent the driver and passengers from jumping out of the van and fleeing.

Inside the van agents found 19 passengers determined to be illegally present in the country.

The driver was identified as Hernandez-Cepeda who was also illegally present.

Hernandez-Cepeda is scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt Wednesday for his preliminary examination.

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