A 49-year-old Falfurrias man has pleaded guilty to escaping from federal custody, announced U.S. Attorney Jennifer B. Lowery.Juan Luis Cruz admitted he knowingly left federal custody without permission.Cruz had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens. On Feb. 19. 2019, he was ordered to serve 40 months of imprisonment and three years of federal supervised release. He was transferred to a halfway house Sept. 1, 2021, to complete the sentence.Upon being transported to the halfway house in Corpus Christi, Cruz absconded by walking away from the facility without permission and did not return. Authorities located him Dec. 22.U.S.