Human Smuggling Suspect Re-Arrested After Bond Release in Bexar County

(Miamistandard) San Antonio — You were arrested, released on bond, and then arrested again. A person suspected of human smuggling will shortly return to Bexar County after being said to have been involved in three raids in the past year.
But what was the reason for the initial release of 30-year-old Abelardo Herrera?
In June 2024, he was first noticed by the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
In South Bexar County, deputies stopped a major people smuggling enterprise that involved 26 victims.
Inside a goose-neck trailer, there was a false compartment made of netting, and that is where the migrants were found.
The deputies thought that the trailer was coming from Laredo, which is three hours distant by car. That day, the temperatures were dangerously close to reaching triple digits.
Sheriff Javier Salazar informed reporters at the scene of the bust, “Fortunately, we were able to get to these people before any of them passed as a result.”
Herrera was among the seven individuals who were arrested in connection with the case.
Then, on January 14 of this year, the Von Ormy police stopped a car close to Fischer Road and IH-35. Inside the truck, officers discovered 12 unauthorized migrants, one of whom was an 11-year-old youngster.
Salazar stated at a news appearance last week, “These people were basically stacked like cordwood up in this car.” He also mentioned that Herrera was involved in this case as well.
On January 22, the BCSO Human Exploitation section, together with its federal collaborators, visited Herrera’s residence in Laredo.
According to the sheriff, Herrera was discovered to be hiding a total of 16 migrants who had been smuggled. They were discovered in three cars that were parked in Herrera’s driveway and in a shed that was close by.
Salazar stated, “We have three separate incidents involving this individual, who clearly does not understand that what he is doing is very illegal.”
According to the sheriff, Herrera is thought to have ties to a Mexican cartel.
Herrera’s bond was lowered in Bexar County.
When Herrera was charged in the South Bexar County smuggling case, he was given 26 counts of people smuggling. Each one had a bond amount of $50,000.
He was also charged with one count of engaging in organized criminal conduct, which came with a bond sum of $75,000.
His bond was set at over $1.4 million, and it came with terms such as being monitored by GPS, being placed under house arrest, and being prohibited from possessing firearms.
However, he was released in late July after a court approved a reduction in his bond.
According to county records, a judge reduced the bond amount to $285,000.
The allegation of engaging in organized criminal conduct was lowered to $25,000, and each smuggling count was lowered to $10,000.
He was even given “partial house arrest to allow for work.”
Herrera was released with the help of bail bond businesses, and as we now know, that job involved smuggling.
He was linked to more incidents in Bexar County and Laredo seven months later.
“What can we do to let him work from home without supervision or oversight?” State Representative John Lujan (R-San Antonio) asked. “How is that taking care of our public? It isn’t.
Representative Lujan states that this situation is extremely frustrating, and he believes it is part of a bigger problem he has observed with our bail bond system.
Herrera is now being imprisoned in Laredo, but he will shortly be sent to Bexar County, where he will be charged with crimes related to the Von Ormy smuggling episode.
According to Salazar, this includes 10 counts of continuous smuggling of humans, two counts of continuous smuggling of persons under 18, and engaging in organized criminal activity. The sheriff also states that federal migrant smuggling charges could be on the way.
Can Herrera be released on bail again?
We asked that question to Joe Gonzales, the District Attorney of Bexar County.
He said that his office issues bail recommendations to judges, but he told us that he is unable to comment on active cases. After that, the judges make the final decision.
Gonzales stated, “According to Texas law, everyone has the right to a bond, with only a few exceptions.”
According to the records, Gonzales’ office suggested that Herrera be given the higher bond amounts and conditions. However, a month later, a judge approved the reductions.
“As members of the District Attorney’s Office, our only option is to advocate for the highest possible bond in order to guarantee that the individual will be present.” Gonzales stated, “However, it is always a concern when this occurs and these judges lower these bonds.”
Gonzales also recognized that scenarios like ongoing human smuggling are not frequent in Bexar County.
Gonzales stated, “Although this is not a significant portion of the cases that we handle in our office, the judges typically follow the recommendations in these human smuggling cases.” “The decrease in bonds with these types of cases is not a major concern in our office.”
He claims that there are currently approximately 85 smuggling cases in Bexar County, with 12 defendants involved. He claims that the more victims there are, the more stringent the conditions of their bond will be.
However, because this has happened in this situation, Jordan Elder from the I-Team questioned what the district attorney’s office is planned to do to protect the community if a human smuggler is released and commits another crime.
Gonzales stated, “We will do everything we can to get the highest bond possible. If we are able to request that the person be remanded without a bond, we will do that as well.” He also mentioned that he does not remember ever doing that for a people smuggling case before.
He is in agreement that this is a public safety issue.
Leaders are considering reforming the bail system.
The district attorney has spoken with media on multiple occasions about the restrictions he faces when it comes to establishing bonds.
He claims that courts usually follow the suggestions they receive in significant and violent instances, but the judges still have the final decision.
Representative Lujan stated, “After 2022, when we had the 50 plus deaths, this should be a priority for our DA, for law enforcement,” referring to the dozens of migrants who were discovered dead in a trailer near Quintana Road.
He claims that if communities are having difficulty keeping traffickers in prison, this might be an issue that the state legislature addresses.
“We are aware that he is a professional smuggler. He will keep doing that. Lujan says this about Herrera: “And until we put a stop to this and set examples, we’re going to have more people doing it.”
Bail reform is one of the most important issues for Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick during this legislative session.