SAN ANTONIO – A Nicaraguan national has been sentenced in federal court to 63 months in prison for harboring and transporting more than 400 illegal aliens over a five-month period.

According to court records, Jose David Betanco-Ramirez, 37, conspired with two other individuals to move roughly 20 undocumented aliens per week between October 2023 and February 2024. Investigators discovered the operation while responding to a June 2024 report of human trafficking and sexual assault at a San Antonio residence.

Upon entering the residence, San Antonio Police officers found Betanco-Ramirez along with co-conspirators Leomar Jose Mendoza-Amador, of Nicaragua, Rony Jose Gonzalez-Amaya, of Honduras, and another Nicaraguan national. The home was sparsely furnished but contained numerous beds and living spaces for undocumented individuals. A search of the residence also recovered nine cell phones.

The investigation revealed that one sexual assault victim had been transported in a tractor-trailer with approximately 60 other undocumented migrants, including women and children, and moved among multiple stash houses. Betanco-Ramirez allegedly claimed the woman as “his” and sexually assaulted her on two separate occasions.

Betanco-Ramirez was indicted on April 3, 2024, on charges of conspiracy to smuggle illegal aliens and harboring illegal aliens. He pleaded guilty to both counts on April 8, 2025. His co-defendants pleaded guilty to alien smuggling and were previously sentenced to 51 months in federal prison. U.S. District Court Judge Xavier Rodriguez presided over the case.

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons for the Western District of Texas. ICE and the San Antonio Police Department investigated the case, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Spears prosecuting.