San Diego, California – Sergio Josue Palomera of Chula Vista was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison Wednesday for his role in a deadly high-speed smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of two undocumented immigrants. The sentence, delivered by U.S. District Judge Todd W. Robinson, reflects the court’s strong condemnation of the reckless and fatal choices Palomera made in attempting to evade law enforcement.
On the morning of October 22, 2024, Palomera picked up a man and a woman near the U.S.–Mexico border in Otay Mesa with the intent to smuggle them into the country. His movements were monitored by Border Patrol agents using remote video surveillance, who witnessed the pick-up and quickly dispatched an agent to intercept the vehicle.
What followed was a brief but deadly pursuit. According to court documents and Palomera’s plea agreement, he initially slowed his vehicle as if preparing to yield to the trailing Border Patrol car. But instead of pulling over, he suddenly accelerated, ran a red light, and sped back onto State Route 905, pushing his car to over 110 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone…