A Mission man has been sentenced for his role in a violent conspiracy to monopolize the transmigrante forwarding agency industry in the Los Indios border region, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

The news release said 39-year-old Carlos Martinez pleaded guilty on February 6. He was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison, to be immediately followed by three years of supervised release. He must also pay a $2 million fine.

Martinez collected at least $9.5 million in extortion payments. He and his family laundered the money through bank accounts they controlled, according to the news release.

Martinez and his co-conspirators controlled the transmigrante industry through monopolization and extortion of competitors, according to the news release. They used fear to control pricing, get rid of the competition and keep the industry profitable through 'pool' allocations and piso payments.

The news release said transmigrantes transport used vehicles and goods from the United States through Mexico for resale in Central America. Only a few U.S. border crossings, including the Los Indios Bridge, allow transmigrantes to enter Mexico.

Martinez and his co-conspirators fixed prices for forwarding services and created a "centralized entity," also known as the 'pool,' to collect and divide revenue among conspirators, according to the news release.

The news release said Martinez ran a "violent criminal syndicate" and seized control of the Los Indios Bridge near Harlingen and Brownsville. He also hired workers to monitor transmigrante forwarding agencies and calculate the piso they owned.

According to the news release, workers collected cash payments. Martinez would enforce compliance by ordering disciplinary action against agencies that operated without permission, violated 'pool' rules and failed to charge fixed prices or refused to make extortion payments.

Martinez and his organization would use threats, intimidation and violence to enforce compliance and further their antitrust and exportation conspiracies, according to the news release.

Clients who didn't comply were denied access to the Los Indios Bridge or having their cars stolen, according to the news release. In severe cases, they were kidnapped, beaten, firebombed, shot or killed.

To date, seven others have been convicted, three of whom have already been sentenced in connection with the case.