A Texas woman, Erminia Serrano Piedra, has pleaded guilty for her involvement in a scheme to illegally transport hundreds of foreign nationals within the United States. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Court documents reveal that Piedra, also known as Irma and Boss Lady, led a human smuggling organization consisting of at least 14 members. The group facilitated the unlawful transportation and movement of migrants from Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia within the United States. The migrants or their families paid the organization to assist them in traveling illegally.

The organization employed various methods, including hiding migrants in suitcases in pickup trucks and cramming them into tractor-trailers, pickup truck beds, water tankers, and wooden crates on flatbed trailers. These methods put the migrants' lives in danger due to confined spaces and inadequate ventilation, posing risks of overheating and high-speed travel without safety measures. The organization referred to the migrants as "boxes," "packages," or "pieces."

Typically, the organization charged approximately $8,000, with $3,000 paid upfront to smugglers in Mexico. Payments were routed through various U.S. accounts and then transmitted to the organization's leaders. Piedra admitted to making significant profits from human smuggling and expressed no plans to retire from the illicit activity.

Piedra also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to engage in financial transactions to conceal the proceeds of human smuggling. The organization used straw recipients, businesses, and construction industry individuals to accept and transfer the illicit proceeds.

The superseding indictment includes criminal forfeiture of two properties owned by Piedra, valued at $2,275,000 and $515,000, purchased with the proceeds of human smuggling. Piedra also agreed to a money judgment of $942,537.00.

Scheduled for sentencing on April 10, Piedra faces a maximum prison term of 20 years. Ten other individuals have previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the scheme, and their sentencing is pending.

These legal actions are the result of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA), established by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland in June 2021. JTFA, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, aims to combat human smuggling originating from Central America affecting U.S. border communities.

The investigative efforts involve multiple U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, DHS, FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other partners. To date, JTFA has led to over 260 domestic and international arrests, over 180 convictions, significant jail sentences, and substantial seizures and forfeitures of assets and contraband. HSI Laredo, Border Patrol - Laredo Sector, and DHS Office of the Inspector General played key roles in the investigation, with support from various law enforcement agencies across the United States.