A 44-year-old man from San Antonio has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens. Richard Rindeikis was sentenced on July 2 after pleading guilty to the charges.
Rindeikis was apprehended on November 18, 2024, when US Border Patrol agents discovered 25 illegal aliens from Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico inside a tanker trailer he was hauling near Carrizo Springs, according to court documents.
The investigation was conducted by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with support from the US Border Patrol.
“This sentencing is a grim reminder of the extreme measures smugglers will take for profit, endangering the lives of vulnerable individuals in the process,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee. “Smuggling human beings inside a tanker trailer is not only illegal, but also inhumane.”
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas underscored the district’s dedication to prosecuting such cases, saying, “This district has seen far too many instances of human smuggling like this one end in tragedy.”
Joseph Duarte II, Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Texas, prosecuted the case. Members of the public are encouraged to report crimes or suspicious activities by calling the ICE Tip Line at 866-DHS-2-ICE or submitting an online tip form. Learn more about HSI San Antonio’s public safety work by following them on X at @HSI_SanAntonio.