Sullivan City man gets 10 years in federal prison for human, drug smuggling

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Sullivan City man has been sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for smuggling immigrants and drugs, according to U.S Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Carlos Alberto Salinas, 28, pleaded guilty on December 6, 2024, and was given a longer sentence after the court found him responsible for smuggling over 75 undocumented immigrants and escaping from law enforcement.

On July 24, 2024, Salinas tried to pick up 10 undocumented immigrants and approximately 100 kilograms of marijuana from the Rio Grande River in Sullivan City.

Salinas and several immigrants swam across the river to Mexico in an attempt to escape law enforcement, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.