An illegal alien from Honduras has been sentenced to 37 years in prison for engaging in organized criminal activity—a first-degree felony—in North Texas.
Collin County’s District Attorney Greg Willis’ office announced Sergio Cardenas-Salinas’ sentence on Thursday. He was convicted for leading a criminal operation responsible for a series of home burglaries in the area.
Between July 16 through September 5, 2023, 10 residents in Plano, Prosper, and McKinney had their homes broken into, where the burglars targeted gold, jewelry, and cash.
An investigation into the burglaries by the Plano Police Department identified the vehicle that was tied to the suspects. On September 5, police officers tracked down the vehicle and arrested nine individuals involved in the crimes.
Detectives discovered that the Houston-based burglary ring was made up of individuals from Guatemala, Honduras, and Venezuela.
Investigators collected phone records and surveillance footage that led to them linking the burglars to Cardenas-Salinas, who was confirmed to be the ringleader of the group. As the leader, he would tell his group which homes to target and how to distribute the stolen gold.
According to Willis’ office, Cardenas-Salinas had been deported from the U.S. twice for illegal entry. He also has a prior criminal history, including a conviction for attempted deadly conduct, for which he served six months in a state prison and was released back into the country.
Cardenas-Salinas pleaded guilty to the crimes, and the jury decided to hand down a 37-year prison sentence.
“Collin County will not tolerate criminal illegal aliens targeting our law-abiding citizens,” said Willis. “Cardenas-Salinas had no right to be in this county, let alone this country. This lengthy prison sentence sends a clear message: we will protect our community from those who come here to commit crimes.”
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