Tomball teen sentenced a decade behind bars for human smuggling near Texas border

TOMBALL, Texas (KTRK) -- A teen from Tomball has been sentenced to 10 years for human smuggling and evading arrest.

Brian Carrillo Ramirez, 18, was convicted and sentenced this week on charges stemming from a Sept. 7, 2022, arrest after a high-speed chase.

Dashcam video shared with ABC13 shows Ramirez initially stopped while being pulled over by a Kinney County deputy. He then speeds off before stopping again and bailing out of the driver's side.

Two undocumented immigrants ran off in the opposite direction and were not caught. Authorities say Ramirez's arrest was part of Operation Lone Star.

County Attorney Brent Smith told ABC13 it's not unusual for them to see smugglers from the Houston area.

"Houston has a lot of cartel activity. It's kind of the hub of Texas for cartel operations and for those who want to go to other places in the United States," Smith explained.

Ramirez has mug shots dating back to when he was 15 years old. Smith said that smugglers are recruited at all ages.

"In Kinney County, we see 18, 17 to 65 years old conducting human smuggling for cartels," Smith said.

Ramirez was taken into custody to begin his sentence immediately following the trial. His is believed to be the first jury trial of Operation Lone Star arrests.

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