A federal judge in Austin Thursday ordered life in prison for a Mexican man believed to be the leader of a human smuggling operation.
Prosecutors say 32-year-old Jose Francisco Sanchez-Angeles and fellow smugglers kept 26 illegal immigrants in a house in North Austin.
U.S. Attorney Johnny Sutton said the immigrants were held at gunpoint until they could pay their way out -- at a cost of up to $1,800 apiece.
"Smugglers who smuggle people into the United States are operating in a business that is very lucrative, it is dirty and it is often very dangerous," Sutton said.
The scheme was discovered last July when police responded to a 911 call and found a man carrying a shotgun and walking around the house.
Sanchez-Angeles pleaded guilty in February to a five-count indictment on conspiracy, smuggling, hostage taking and firearms charges.
All of the smugglers have been sentenced to federal prison terms.
