Nathan Jr. Espinoza, a 23-year-old resident of Avondale, Arizona, pleaded guilty on August 6 to one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. The sentencing is set for October 16, 2025, before United States District Judge Angela M. Martinez.
According to the plea agreement, Espinoza admitted that he recruited drivers and coordinated the transportation of undocumented immigrants from areas near the Mexico border to locations further inside the United States. His actions were motivated by personal financial gain and resulted in at least 25 people being transported.
Espinoza also acknowledged that on March 6, 2024, he organized an incident where a driver and front seat passenger picked up two undocumented immigrants near Lukeville, Arizona. During transport, the immigrants were instructed to exit the moving vehicle. Both individuals either jumped, fell, or were pushed out while it was still in motion. One suffered a head injury upon hitting the ground and died at a hospital two days later.
A conviction for this offense carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison and a fine up to $250 million.
The case investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations as part of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). JTFA is a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security that targets cartels and transnational criminal organizations involved in human smuggling and trafficking across several countries including Mexico and Central America. The task force includes personnel from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices along the southwest border and receives support from multiple Justice Department divisions such as the Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and other federal agencies like the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration. Since its inception, JTFA’s operations have resulted in over 405 arrests domestically and internationally related to alien smuggling activities, more than 350 convictions in the United States, over 305 significant jail sentences imposed, and substantial asset forfeitures.
The prosecution is being handled by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona in Tucson.
For more information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona: http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
