Man from Surprise arrested for alleged human smuggling scheme that left 1 dead
Aug 4, 2024, 3:00 PM
Local law enforcement and U.S. Secret Service agents stand watch at the U.S. Border Wall on Aug. 1, 2024 in Montezuma Pass, Arizona. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
(Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
PHOENIX — A 22-year-old man from Surprise was arrested for his role in an alleged human smuggling scheme that left one dead, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced Friday.
Nathan Espinoza Jr. allegedly recruited a driver and planned delivery of two undocumented noncitizens (UNCs) in March. One of the UNCs jumped out of the car while it was moving and suffered fatal injuries.
Espinoza was allegedly paid about $1,000 for each UNC brought into the U.S. in conspiracies since the March incident. He also served as a middleman in other alleged smuggling cases.
The arrest is a result of the Joint Task Force Alpha, established by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland. The task force takes on human smuggling groups in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras, recently expanding to Panama and Colombia as well.
