SAN ANTONIO — Homeland Securities Investigations officials provided an update Wednesday afternoon following a human smuggling case where 54 people were found inside a tractor-trailer Tuesday night on San Antonio's North Side.
The group was found inside a tractor-trailer in the 8400 block of Laurelcrest Place near Loop 410 and Broadway.
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Shane M. Folden, HSI Special Agent in Charge, identified a person arrested in connection with the case as U.S. citizen Gerardo Javier Carreon, 36, of Laredo. Carreon was expected to be charged with federal human smuggling violations, Folden said.
Folden said the group of immigrants consisted of men, women and minors from Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Brazil.
According to Folden, all the immigrants were provided medical assistance at the scene — Five were transported to the hospital, and all but one had been released as of Wednesday.
He credited the San Antonio fire and police departments for their assistance in the case.
The immigrants were still in the process of being identified and interviewed, Folden said in closing.
This was not the first for Carreon. According to a police report, he was found transporting three subjects in a black Tahoe across the border in December 2008. The suspect admitted to guiding the two undocumented persons for a monetary gain of $1,000.
He has faced an extensive criminal history regarding undocumented entry. Carreon has been arrested on the basis of multiple drug charges for possession and intent to distribute, firearm possession and transportation of undocumented immigrants.
A preliminary hearing set for Monday, June 18, did not happen after Carreon elected to waive it.