SAN ANTONIO — A Nicaraguan national was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for his role in harboring and transporting over 400 illegal aliens between October 2023 and February 2024.
According to court documents, Jose David Betanco-Ramirez, 37, conspired with two others to transport and harbor around 20 illegal aliens per week over five months. The San Antonio Police Department began investigating in June 2024 after receiving a report of human trafficking and sexual assault at a local address. Officers discovered the residence was used as a stash house for human smuggling and found Betanco-Ramirez in a bedroom with the sexual assault victim.
In a separate room, officers found co-conspirators Leomar Jose Mendoza-Amador, also from Nicaragua, and Rony Jose Gonzalez-Amaya from Honduras, along with another Nicaraguan national who was in the U.S. illegally. The house was sparsely furnished but contained numerous beds throughout…