Peñitas Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Human Trafficking and Death of a Victim
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
A resident of Peñitas, identified as Jesús Grimaldo, 21, pleaded guilty in October 2025 and was recently sentenced by a federal judge in Corpus Christi. Grimaldo was considered a leader in a human trafficking network that resulted in the death of a Mexican migrant, who died from heat exposure. The victim was found in Brooks County in May 2024. Grimaldo will now serve a 120-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. According to the investigation, Grimaldo coordinated human trafficking operations between 2022 and 2025, transporting over 100 migrants after crossing the border and helping them evade checkpoints. Authorities stated that the accused recruited drivers, organized routes, and received payments for facilitating these transports, even under dangerous conditions such as hiding people in vehicle trunks during extreme heat. The court increased the severity of the sentence after determining that Grimaldo used weapons, endangered the lives of migrants, and led the organization. Investigators linked the accused to the case after discovering money transfers on the victim's phone. The judge emphasized that the death would not have occurred without Grimaldo’s involvement in the operation, and he will remain in federal custody until his transfer to prison.