Man arrested after 42 migrants found in trailer in Las Cruces

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- After discovering 42 migrants in a trailer, federal prosecutors arrested a man in Las Cruces, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Federal prosecutors in the Western District of Texas filed 256 new immigration and immigration-related criminal cases from Oct. 23-30. One of them included the alleged migrant transportation case, which is being prosecuted in El Paso.

Prosecutors charged Miguel Malo Poggio with transportation of migrants. Officials said U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a tractor-trailer, driven by Malo Poggio, on the I-25 in Las Cruces.

Authorities found a black backpack with several cellular devices in the truck's cab. Malo Poggio allegedly gave agents a set of keys, indicating they were for the cargo trailer, which was secured with a red tamper-evident seal.

Agents discovered 42 migrants in the trailer, including three unaccompanied minors, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

An affidavit said at least one of the migrants said they illegally crossed into the U.S. less than a week prior, was taken to a stash house and loaded into the tractor-trailer.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the migrants were told to sit, remain quiet and stay hidden in the trailer. At the stash house, migrants' phones were confiscated.