A 25-year-old Glendale man, Trajahn Alexander Johnson, was sentenced last week to six months in prison after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death.
Johnson’s sentence is to be followed by two years of supervised release.
Johnson’s co-defendants were charged and sentenced for their role in the transportation of the undocumented noncitizens after pleading guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death:
- Israel Omar Vargas, 21, of Avondale, Arizona, was sentenced on September 19, 2022, to 80 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
- Worine Terrell Sams, Jr., 25, of Mesa Arizona, was sentenced on March 27, 2023, to 64 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Two other individuals also were charged by a separate indictment for their role in the transportation of undocumented noncitizens and pleaded guilty to Transportation of Illegal Aliens Resulting in Death and were sentenced by United States District Judge Susan M. Brnovich:
- Tristan James Mott, 22, of Mesa, Arizona was sentenced on January 18, 2023, to 78 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
- Jera Simone Richard, 25, of Tempe, Arizona, was sentenced on January 30, 2023, to 36 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
On October 1, 2020, in response to a 911 call, the Gila River Police Department (GRPD) conducted an investigative traffic stop of a U-Haul box truck. Upon investigation, GRPD officers discovered that there were 14 undocumented noncitizens in the U-Haul truck, one of whom had died during the transportation. Four others were taken to the hospital, suffering from heat-related illnesses. 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.