Human smuggler sentenced to prison for fatal incident at border

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) -- In a case highlighting the dangers of human smuggling, Alberto Ubaldo Quintero-Rivas of Mexicali, Mexico, was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison Friday for his role in a smuggling event that led to the tragic death of a migrant.

According to court documents, Quintero-Rivas attempted to smuggle two unauthorized migrants into the U.S. near the Andrade Port of Entry on Feb. 22, 2024. During the illegal crossing, Quintero-Rivas guided the migrants over a towering international boundary fence exceeding 30 feet. In a turn of events, one of the migrants, a 51-year-old man, fell from the fence and suffered severe head injuries that ultimately proved fatal.

Border Patrol agents discovered Quintero-Rivas and the surviving migrant at a nearby RV park. An investigation led agents to the border wall, where they found the body of the deceased man. Emergency medical services arrived but pronounced the man dead at the scene.

Initially, Quintero-Rivas denied any connection to the fallen migrant. However, investigators found matching shoeprints that linked him to the area near the body. The surviving migrant corroborated the events, stating that she witnessed the man fall but was instructed by Quintero-Rivas to leave him behind and follow him.

“This tragic death serves as a haunting reminder that heartless smugglers would not – and in this case did not - hesitate to leave a man to die,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath. “As we seek justice for those lost, we remind anyone contemplating a similar journey that smugglers consider human lives simply as a transaction. Don’t trust your life to a smuggler.”

Yuma Sector’s Acting Chief Patrol Agent Dustin W. Caudle echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the dangers of illegal border crossings. “Illegally crossing the border into the United States is a dangerous business, and callous smugglers have no value for human life,” he stated. “We are glad to see Alberto Ubaldo Quintero-Rivas brought to justice for his role in the death of this migrant. We also hope this acts as a reminder that crossing the border at any point other than a port of entry can have deadly consequences. It is not worth the risk.”