El Paso Resident Indicted for Coordinating Human Smuggling Texas, New Mexico

Manuel Alejandro Melendez-Cereceres, known as 'Monstro,' a 40-year-old El Paso resident, has been indicted by a federal grand jury on three counts of human smuggling. He allegedly played a central role in a smuggling network operating in the Western District of Texas and District of New Mexico, recruiting and coordinating drivers and vehicles to transport undocumented migrants to stash houses, residences, or hotels before handing them off to other drivers. Melendez-Cereceres was arrested on June 20 and made his initial court appearance the same day. The investigation is being led by Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Border Patrol, reflecting a coordinated federal effort to combat human trafficking along the U.S.-Mexico border. Federal prosecutors are treating the case with high seriousness, highlighting the ongoing challenges and human costs associated with illicit smuggling operations in border communities.