PHOENIX — A 25-year-old Glendale man was sentenced last week after pleading guilty to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death.
Trajahn Alexander Johnson was sentenced to six months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release – he was the final co-conspirator to be sentenced.
On Oct.1, 2020, the Gila River Police Department conducted "an investigative traffic stop" of a U-Haul box truck where officers discovered 14 undocumented noncitizens in the truck. One person died during the transportation and four others were hospitalized with heat-related illnesses.
Johnson’s co-defendants were charged for their role in the transportation of the undocumented noncitizens and they also pleaded guilty:
- Israel Omar Vargas, 21, of Avondale, was sentenced on Sept. 19, 2022, to 80 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Worine Terrell Sams, Jr., 25, of Mesa was sentenced on March 27, to 64 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Tristan James Mott, 22, of Mesa, was sentenced on Jan. 18, to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Jera Simone Richard, 25, of Tempe was sentenced on Jan. 30, to 36 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
GRPD officers identified Richard as the driver of the U-Haul and Mott as the passenger. It was later determined that Richard and Mott had coordinated the transport of the 14 individuals with Vargas, Sams and Johnson.
“Human smuggling is always a risky business proposition, and sometimes those seeking a better life in America pay the ultimate price,” said U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino in a news release. “Thanks to the collective work of a private citizen calling 911, observant tribal police officers and dedicated federal agents, we disrupted an alien smuggling scheme and held these five defendants accountable for the death of a migrant in their care.”
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