A Tucson man was sentenced to three years in jail for smuggling and making threats to a Border Patrol agent.

Jesus Alberto Ibarra-Barraza, 31, was sentenced on Monday, by United States District Judge Scott H. Rash to a term of 36 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

Ibarra-Barraza pleaded guilty on Feb. 27, to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens for profit and threats to murder an employee of the united states.

On March 16, 2022, Ibarra-Barraza was transporting four undocumented noncitizens when he encountered law enforcement. Ibarra-Barraza stopped his vehicle, directed the passengers to exit, then fled at a high speed.

Ibarra-Barraza crashed his vehicle sustaining serious injuries. While at the hospital, Ibarra-Barraza verbally confronted the victim, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent, and threatened to kill the victim upon his release from the hospital.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Border Patrol conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorney Nathaniel J. Walters, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.