Truck driver pleads guilty in fatal human smuggling operation

SAN ANTONIO – A truck driver charged for his involvement in a human smuggling operation that resulted in the deaths of 10 people earlier this year pleaded guilty to two federal charges on Monday.

James Matthew Bradley, Jr., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to transport aliens resulting in death and one count of transporting aliens resulting in death.

READ THE INITIAL REPORT: 8 people found dead inside of semi-truck trailer on SW side in 'human trafficking crime'

The guilty plea indicates Bradley admits "he conspired to transport and did transport undocumented aliens in the United States for financial gain; to further their illegal entry into this country; with reckless disregard that they entered this country illegally; and, which resulted in the death of ten undocumented aliens."

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Bradley will be sentenced on January 22, 2018. He faces up to life in federal prison. He is currently behind bars awaiting sentencing.

Bradley also turned his tractor-trailer rig, approximately $5,600 and a .38 caliber pistol recovered from the tractor-trailer over to authorities. 

Bradley admitted to transporting several people in his big rig 18-wheeler to San Antonio.

On July 23, authorities discovered Bradley's tractor trailer along with 39 people suspected of living in the country illegally. Of the 39, 8 died in the trailer and 2 died at area hospitals.

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