Hector Samuel Esquijerosa, a Miami resident, has pleaded guilty to participating in a scheme to smuggle merchandise into the United States by presenting false and fraudulent invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). This agency is responsible for collecting import duties.
Court documents reveal that between September 2018 and January 2023, Esquijerosa owned two companies, Production Tire Company and Premier Trade Corporation. These companies imported tractor-trailer truck tires into the U.S. Esquijerosa admitted in court that he conspired with brokers, suppliers, and wholesalers from China, Canada, and the UK to evade tariffs on Chinese-manufactured truck tires imported into the U.S. The products were sold in Florida and other locations.
To hide the true origin of these tires, Esquijerosa's group transshipped them through countries like Canada and Malaysia before entering the U.S. They filed documents with CBP falsely claiming non-Chinese origins for these tires. Two sets of invoices were created: one undervalued set for CBP duty calculations and another reflecting actual values. This scheme resulted in over $1.9 million in lost revenue for the U.S.
Esquijerosa pled guilty to conspiracy against the United States. He faces up to five years in prison with sentencing scheduled for February 24, 2025. A federal judge will decide his sentence after reviewing guidelines and statutory factors.
The case was investigated by HSI Miami with help from CBP’s Automotive and Aerospace Center of Excellence and Expertise. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aimee Jimenez is prosecuting while Assistant U.S. Attorney G. Raemy Charest-Turken handles asset forfeiture.
For more information on related court documents, visit www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 24-cr-20436.