Witnesses reveal that Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a suspected member of the MS-13 gang, earned as much as $1,500 for each smuggling operation, potentially accumulating over $100,000 a year from human trafficking activities, which included minors.
Fresh revelations regarding Abrego Garcia’s purported “full-time job” have emerged from the testimonies of co-conspirators and witnesses collaborating with the federal authorities in the human smuggling case involving the Salvadoran national, who faced wrongful deportation in March.
A federal agent presented the allegations at a detention hearing on Friday in a Nashville court, where Abrego Garcia pleaded not guilty.
In a shocking revelation, it was disclosed that smugglers were demanding $8,000 from migrants hailing from Central and South America for their perilous journey into the US. Testimony from Homeland Security Investigations special agent Peter Joseph highlighted that Abrego Garcia was responsible for picking them up in Texas and facilitating their transport across the country.
According to co-conspirator Joseph, Abrego Garcia received payments of up to $1,500 for each trip and conducted approximately one to two smuggling trips weekly.
The Maryland man could have earned over $100,000 annually from the trips.
A second co-conspirator assisting federal authorities confirmed the payment structure, revealing that $1,000 payments were transferred from the trafficker to the driver responsible for the long-haul trips.
Allegations have surfaced from the co-conspirator, indicating that approximately 30% of the clientele involved in the smuggling operation were affiliated with gangs.
Abrego Garcia faces human smuggling charges following a traffic stop in Tennessee in 2022, during which he was stopped while driving a vehicle carrying nine passengers.
During a routine speeding stop, a Tennessee Highway Patrol officer discovered an envelope containing $1,400 in cash on an illegal immigrant. Body camera footage from the incident reveals that the officers harboured suspicions that the Maryland man was involved in smuggling individuals in the vehicle.
Joseph provided testimony indicating that the vehicle in which Abrego Garcia was apprehended belonged to Jose Hernandez-Reyes, a known migrant smuggler, and revealed that six out of the nine individuals inside were residing in the US unlawfully.
Witnesses claimed that children were also taken on the journeys and made to sit on the floorboards.
A co-conspirator of Abrego Garcia revealed to authorities that they observed the smuggling of drugs and firearms, noting that the weapons, which comprised handguns and semi-automatic rifles, were concealed under the children during the journeys.
Testimony concerning claims that Abrego Garcia engaged in sexual relationships with certain passengers, including a minor, faced restrictions following objections from his defence team.
Abrego Garcia faces no charges related to sex, drugs, or firearms. During the hearing, evidence was showcased to illustrate that Abrego Garcia poses a threat to the community and ought to stay incarcerated.
His legal team has labelled the claims put forth by the Justice Department as “absurd.”
The defence team challenged Joseph regarding any agreements he may have made with government witnesses, implying that their testimony could indicate a conflict of interest.
Abrego Garcia’s legal team highlighted that a certain witness had faced deportation in the past and is currently serving a 30-month prison term. However, this individual is now residing in a halfway house and could potentially obtain work authorisation.
A second witness, as stated by defence attorneys, is a close family member of the initial witness and has expressed willingness to cooperate in exchange for his freedom from incarceration.
A third individual had earlier received compensation for assisting law enforcement efforts.
