San Antonio man gets 10 years in prison on charge he smuggled 25 migrants in a tanker

A San Antonio man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for transporting 25 immigrants across the U.S.-Mexico border in a tanker, according to federal authorities.

Richard Rindeikis, 44, was sentenced last week after pleading guilty in a federal court earlier this year of one count of conspiracy to transport illegal immigrants, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said.

The smuggling operation was discovered last November at a U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) checkpoint near Carrizo Springs, according to details released in a media statement. When questioned by authorities, Rindeikis claimed the trailer was empty and couldn’t locate his driver’s license, ICE officials said.

USBP agents observed that all the hatches on the tanker were sealed and secure, according to the feds’ statement. When USBP agents opened the hatches, they discovered 25 people inside. According to the details shared by ICE, people in the group originated from Ecuador, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Mexico.

The Express-News reports that Rindeikis was on his seventh haul of migrants across the border. His LinkedIn account lists him as a truck driver at Helotes Ready Mix.

“This sentencing is a grim reminder of the extreme measures smugglers will take for profit, endangering the lives of vulnerable individuals in the process,” said ICE Homeland Security Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee.

“Smuggling human beings inside a tanker trailer is not only illegal, but also inhumane,” Larrabee continued. “Thanks to the swift work of law enforcement, the victims were rescued before tragedy struck. HSI remains relentless in our mission to dismantle smuggling networks and protect human life at every turn.”

However, the accusations of inhumane treatment don’t end at the transportation of migrants across the border, especially if they become ensnared with ICE.

Once inside the United States, migrants also may face harsh conditions at ICE detention facilities, according to immigrant-rights advocates. They point the flurry of 911 calls originating from the South Texas ICE Processing Center in Pearsall and reports that migrants are fighting over water at the Dilly and Karnes facilities as evidence of the poor treatment.

So far this year, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol reports a 93% decrease in illegal border crossings the same period of 2024 as the Trump administration simultaneously ramps up mass-deportation efforts.

These efforts were bolstered by additional funding included in Trump’s Big, Beautiful Bill, which Congress passed last week. The administration’s signature piece of legislation earmarks $170 billion for immigration and border security, including $45 billion for more ICE detention centers, $30 billion to hire more ICE officers, $46.5 billion to complete Trump’s border wall, $5 billion for CBP facilities and $10 billion for border security initiatives. 
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This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 9, 2025.