La Salle County, Texas, USA – On Friday, November 28, 2025, just after 5:00 p.m., a DPS Trooper stopped a white Freightliner truck tractor traveling on the improved shoulder of IH-35.

During the traffic stop, the Trooper determined that the driver, identified as 24-year-old John David Amaya from Laredo, was operating the vehicle without a commercial driver license.

With help from a Border Patrol K-9, the Trooper ultimately found 23 illegal immigrants hidden inside the truck’s sleeping area.

Amaya was arrested and charged with 23 counts of smuggling of persons, classified as a state jail felony. The 23 illegal immigrants, from Nicaragua, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico, were referred to Border Patrol.

Authorities noted that Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation in 2023 establishing a mandatory 10-year minimum prison sentence for individuals convicted of smuggling of persons. If convicted, Amaya could face prison time under this law.

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