Hector Samuel Esquijerosa, 52, of Miami, has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to smuggle merchandise into the United States by submitting fraudulent invoices to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced the plea today.
Between September 2018 and January 2023, Esquijerosa owned two businesses, Production Tire Company and Premier Trade Corporation, which imported tractor-trailer truck tires into the U.S. He admitted to conspiring with international brokers, suppliers, and wholesalers to evade anti-dumping and countervailing duties on tires made in China.
To conceal the Chinese origin of the tires, Esquijerosa and his co-conspirators transshipped the products through countries like Canada and Malaysia. They submitted false invoices to CBP, undervaluing the tires to lower duty costs, while the second set of invoices reflected the true value. This scheme led to a loss of more than $1.9 million in U.S. revenue.
Esquijerosa faces up to five years in prison. His sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge, considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other factors.