Human smuggling convict gets 8 years for causing crash that killed passenger

PHOENIX — A 28-year-old Phoenix man was sentenced last week to eight years behind bars after pleading guilty to causing a crash that killed a passenger during a human smuggling operation.

On June 17, 2021, Border Patrol agents saw Andres Urias-Soto pick up two undocumented non-citizens from a gas station in Lukeville, Arizona, and drive them northbound on State Route 85 toward Interstate 8, according to the press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

After the Border Patrol agents activated their lights and sirens in an attempt to stop Urias-Soto, he proceeded to speed up and eventually reached speeds of up to 110 mph, authorities said.

Urias-Soto shortly thereafter lost control of the vehicle and crashed in the desert, killing one of the passengers and injuring another, authorities said.

Urias-Soto at the time of the incident was on supervised release for previously transporting undocumented non-citizens for profit, according to the release.

After his time in prison, Urias-Soto will be on supervised release for five years.

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