July 11th, 2024

US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit Opinions
United States v. Jaquez

Docket: 23-40348
Opinion Date: July 10, 2024
Judge: Leslie H. Southwick
Areas of Law: Criminal Law

Salvador Jaquez was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to transport an undocumented alien and transporting or attempting to transport an undocumented alien within the United States. The charges stemmed from an incident where Jaquez was found in a truck with undocumented aliens hidden in a trailer. The truck was intercepted by Border Patrol agents near Laredo, Texas, after being detected by surveillance cameras. Jaquez was the only U.S. citizen in the vehicle, and various incriminating items were found in the truck, including cell phones, bolt cutters, and master locks.

The United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas handled the initial trial. Jaquez pled not guilty, but the jury found him guilty on both counts. The district court sentenced him to concurrent 36-month prison terms followed by three years of supervised release. Jaquez appealed, challenging the sufficiency of the evidence for both convictions.

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit reviewed the case. The court examined whether the evidence presented at trial was sufficient to support the jury's verdict. For the conspiracy charge, the court found that Jaquez's inconsistent statements, his knowledge of the smuggling operation, and his communications with a contact named Edgar Descargas provided sufficient circumstantial evidence of an agreement to transport undocumented aliens. For the transporting charge, the court determined that Jaquez's role in the operation, including his possession of the locks and keys and his coordination efforts, demonstrated sufficient control over the means of transportation.

The Fifth Circuit concluded that a rational juror could find Jaquez guilty beyond a reasonable doubt on both counts. The court affirmed the district court's judgment, upholding Jaquez's convictions and sentences.

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