A Mexican man has been sentenced to 40 years in federal prison in connection with human smuggling that resulted in the deaths of eight people near Del Rio, Texas.

Nicolas Mondragon-Gonzalez, 36, also known as “Chayo” and “Flaco,” of Luvianos, Mexico, was convicted by a federal court in Del Rio of transporting undocumented migrants resulting in death, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a press release on Wednesday.

According to court documents, Mondragon-Gonzalez was the leader of a human smuggling organization when he hired Sebastian Tovar of Toledo, Ohio, as a driver. Tovar was sentenced to 35 years in prison in August 2023 for his role in the fatal crash.

According to court documents, Tovar was driving a Dodge Ram near Del Rio on March 15, 2021, when a Texas Department of Public Safety officer attempted to stop the vehicle.

Instead of stopping, Tovar fled but crashed into oncoming traffic, authorities said. Eight undocumented migrants in Tovar’s truck died in the collision and one was seriously injured. Two U.S. citizens were seriously injured when Tovar’s truck collided head-on with their vehicle.

After the accident, U.S. Border Patrol agents saw a Ford F-150 stopped in traffic near the accident scene. Agents ordered the driver of the Ford to turn around, but all occupants ran into the nearby bushes.

However, Border Patrol agents found 12 undocumented migrants who had escaped from the Ford. After questioning two of them, agents determined that the occupants of the Dodge and Ford were involved in a human smuggling operation that illegally transported 20 undocumented migrants.

Mondragon-Gonzalez was arrested on September 28, 2021. On January 10, 2022, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants, one count of transporting undocumented migrants resulting in death, and two counts of transporting undocumented migrants.

“This defendant will spend the next 40 years in federal prison for his actions,” Craig Larrabee, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio, said in the release. “Human smuggling is dangerous, but as this case shows, it is also deadly. HSI will not stop investigating and bringing smugglers to justice. There can be no safe haven for smugglers who circumvent our nation’s laws, endanger our communities and cause deaths.”

Co-defendant Ruben Junior Rodriguez-Jaimes, who worked as a foot guide in the organization, was sentenced to 15 years in prison in August 2023. Rogelio Manuel Luna of Austin was sentenced to nine years in prison in June 2024 with credit for time already served. Jennifer Oralia Davis, aka “Paypa,” of San Antonio was sentenced to 12 years and seven months in prison in September 2023 with credit for time already served.

Four other defendants pleaded guilty in 2023 to transporting illegal immigrants resulting in death: Lauren Michelle Malmquist, aka “Mama” and “Lala,” of Cedar Park; Veronica Torres-Mendez of San Antonio; and Eduardo Rivera Benitez, aka “Lalo” and “Casper,” of Bastrop. They all face a maximum sentence of life in prison. Jose Eli Rodriguez of Austin faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Another defendant from Paige, Texas, Marco Antonio Hernandez, alias “Temo,” was arrested in Houston on June 27, authorities said. He was previously sentenced to two years in prison on October 11, 2023, with credit for time already served.

Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Border Patrol and the Texas Department of Public Safety investigated the case with assistance from the Travis County Sheriff’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua Banister prosecuted the case.

“The outcome in this case is a testament to this office’s commitment to seeking justice for members of our community,” said Jaime Esparza, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas. “It reflects the hard work and interagency collaboration of our federal and state partners, whose efforts brought this case to a successful conclusion.”