Man pleads guilty to manslaughter for migrant death
Deputies say they found the body of a 40-year-old Ecuadorian migrant in Yuma County's desert on September 7, 2022
YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma County Sheriff's Office (YCSO) said 35-year-old Efrain Leyva-Alvarez entered a plea agreement for charges on Manslaughter to serve a 10.5-year prison term.
Leyva-Alvarez entered the plea agreement on August 31.
YCSO said they found a man dead on September 7, 2022, in the desert area of the Mohawk Mountain Range.
According to YCSO, in September of 2022, a migrant called 911 after not being able to continue walking through the desert.
After being arrested by Border Patrol, the migrant claimed Leyvas-Alvarez was his group’s smuggler.
And told the arresting agents another migrant in their group had walked off with Leyvas-Alvarez but didn’t return.
YCSO's search and rescue team then went to the area and found a 40-year-old Ecuadorian migrant dead.
YCSO said they believe Leyvas-Alvarez fled back to Mexico following the alleged incident.
On January 16, 2023, he was arrested by the Border Patrol for illegally entering the United States.
