Texas Trucker Sentenced to 21 Months in Prison

On October 15, 2026, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that 51-year-old truck driver Robert Martinez Jr. of Needville, Texas, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for transporting 10 people illegally present in the United States.

On March 9, Martinez arrived at a Border Patrol checkpoint near Sarita, Texas, driving a semi-truck. He told officers he was carrying onions.

A scan revealed suspicious objects inside the truck's cab.

During the inspection, officers discovered 10 people hiding in the sleeper compartment. Some were on the upper bunk, others were under a blanket, and two were trapped in a storage compartment beneath the lower bunk.

The two people inside the storage compartment could not escape on their own.

Martinez pleaded guilty on May 20. The court sentenced him to 21 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

!What This Means for CDL Drivers

Border Patrol inspections can include the truck's sleeper compartment, not just the trailer and cargo.

Using commercial trucks for human smuggling can result in federal criminal charges and prison sentences.