Illegal alien from Mexico pleads guilty to smuggling three other aliens into the United States

BUFFALO, N.Y. - U.S. Attorney Michael DiGiacomo announced today that Andres Carrillo-Hernandez, 27, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to alien smuggling for commercial advantage and private financial gain, which carries a mandatory minimum penalty of three years in prison, a maximum of 10 years, and a fine of $250,000.

According to the plea agreement, on March 15, 2026, Carrillo-Hernandez boarded a motorized inflatable raft vessel on the Niagara River shoreline near Boyer's Creek, Ontario, Canada. Three individuals, none of whom was a citizen or national of the United States, also boarded the vessel, including an adult male, an adult female, and a nine-month- old child. Carrillo-Hernandez then drove the vessel across the Niagara River and the United States-Canada border, to the United States shoreline near West River Road in Grand Island, New York. The crossing occurred at night, and the water temperature of the Niagara River was approximately 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Once on the shoreline, Carrillo-Hernandez stayed aboard the vessel while the passengers disembarked and proceeded further into the United States. Shortly after, Border Patrol Agents apprehended Carrillo-Hernandez and the passengers near West River Road at which time official immigration records checks were conducted. Carrillo-Hernandez told law enforcement officers that he expected to be paid approximately $2,000 to transport the passengers into the United States from Canada aboard the motorized raft vessel.

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.

The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan W. Fitzgerald and Evan K. Glaberson. The plea is the result of an investigation by U.S. Border Patrol, under the direction of Acting Chief Patrol Agent James D'Amato.

Sentencing is scheduled for March 15, 2027, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Arcara.

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