Chief Judge Orders Another Lengthy Federal Sentence in Smuggling Case Involving Kidnapping and Rape of a Pregnant Woman

DEL RIO, Texas - An Eagle Pass man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio on Monday to 170 months in prison for conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens causing serious bodily injury and placing lives in jeopardy, announced U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons.

According to court documents, Rodolfo Daniel De Hoyos aka "Rufles," 22, was arrested on Nov. 22, 2021, in Kinney County. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper observed three passengers in De Hoyos's vehicle, each wearing dirty clothing, hiking boots, and camouflage backpacks. De Hoyos admitted that the three passengers were illegal aliens whom he was transporting to Del Rio. He said he would be paid $1,500 for smuggling the aliens, who were determined to be from Guatemala.

De Hoyos was arrested again in August 2023 for transporting illegal aliens for co-conspirator Anthony Ballones Jr. Information corroborating the admission was found in De Hoyos's cell phone. The August 2023 smuggling event involved transporting a family of illegal aliens from San Antonio to Austin. The family, consisting of a man, a pregnant woman, and their seven-year-old child, were taken hostage by the Alien Smuggling Organization. In addition to sexually assaulting the pregnant woman, the defendants threatened to kill the woman's seven-year-old boy if payments were not made, and they also threatened to sell the woman's unborn baby if they did not get the money they sought. On July 9, 2023, a relative paid at least $1,000 to the ASO due to the threats made toward the family. Still, the ASO continued to demand payment to different accounts as a condition for the release of the aliens.

De Hoyos had been working with Ballones Jr. for approximately one year. He pleaded guilty to count one of a six-count indictment on Nov. 26, 2024.

On Feb. 11, co-defendant Juan Antonio Flores was sentenced to 212 months for his role in the case. Co-defendants Edwin Alfredo Barrientos-Mateo and Nelson Abilio Castro-Zelaya were sentenced to 360 months and 180 months in federal prison, respectively. Tomas Estrada-Torres was sentenced to 151 months. Four other co-defendants, Ambar Obregon, Pedro Ruiz Gonzalez, Armando Garcia-Martinez, and Ballones Jr., have pleaded guilty and are pending sentencing. Chief U.S. District Judge Alia Moses presides over the case.

ICE Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brett Miner prosecuted the case.

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.

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