“Human smugglers are driven by greed and demonstrate a total disregard for our laws and for human life,” said James M. Gibbons, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations Chicago. “HSI will continue to enforce the laws these criminals attempt to skirt, in our commitment to pursue those that exploit and endanger the people they smuggle into our country.”

The eight other previously deported aliens Flores-Calderon is alleged to have smuggled and who are each alleged to have illegally re-entered the United States after deportation are:

Eladio Velasquez-Velasquez, age 24, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Calexico, California earlier in 2018 to Mexico. Elias Velasquez-Vleasquez, age 30, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Brownsville, Texas in 2009 to Mexico. Enrique Sebastian Cedillo-Santiago, age 24, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Brownsville, Texas in 2017 to Guatemala. Mynor Lucas Galvez-Galvez, age 28, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoenix, Arizona in 2015 to Guatemala. Jose David Hernandez-Salazar, age 34, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Chandler, Arizona in 2007 to Honduras. Aaron Danilo Rivera-Urbina, age 29, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoeniz, Arizona in 2016 to Honduras. Carlos Joel Perez-Merino, age 32, who is alleged to have been previously deported from Phoenix, Arizona earlier in 2018 to El Salvador. Jose Danilo Balan-Boc, age 21, who is alleged to have been previously deported earlier in 2018 to Guatemala.

All nine defendants named in the Indictment have been in Immigration custody since being discovered on August 2nd. They will remain in custody until the conclusion of their criminal cases.

Flores-Calderon, the alleged smuggler, faces a term of imprisonment of up to 10 years for each of eight alien smuggling charges and an additional ten years on his unlawful re-entry charge.

Because of his prior criminal convictions, Rivera-Urbina faces up to twenty years imprisonment for unlawful re-entry. The seven remaining defendants face a term of imprisonment of up to 2 years on the charges of unlawful re-entry.

If convicted, all nine defendants also face removal from the United States after completing a term of imprisonment.

This case was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security – Immigration and Customs Enforcement with assistance from the Missouri Highway Patrol, the St. Louis County Police Department, the Eureka Police Department and the Pacific Police Department