Army Soldiers from Texas Arrested in Connection with Human Smuggling After Border Pursuit

Army Soldiers from Texas Arrested in Connection with Human Smuggling After Border Pursuit

WPBN: Federal officials announced that three U.S. Army personnel based in Texas have been accused in connection with a purported human smuggling scheme involving noncitizens from Guatemala and Mexico.

Approximately 70 miles north of Austin, at Fort Cavazos near Killeen, Texas, are U.S. soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, and Enrique Jauregui, according to a Justice Department news release.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Palma and Jauregui are also charged with assaulting a federal agent, while the three soldiers are charged with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens.

“We are aware of the arrest of three Fort Cavazos Soldiers. III Armored Corps will continue to cooperate with all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies,” a spokesperson for Fort Cavazos stated on Wednesday.

The spokesperson stated that all three soldiers are part of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment. Mendoza Lopez is a wheeled vehicle technician from Bensenville, Illinois; Jauregui is a Stryker systems maintainer from Tacoma, Washington; and Palma is an infantryman from McFarland, California, according to the spokesperson.

Since none of the three troops have lawyers mentioned in court documents, it is unknown if they have legal representation.

What charges are made against the soldiers at Fort Cavazos?

According to the Justice Department, on November 27, a U.S. Border Patrol agent pulled over a car in Presidio, Texas, but the vehicle ran away as the agent got close to the passenger side. A criminal complaint was filed in the Western District of Texas alleging that the fugitive struck a Border Patrol vehicle, injuring an agent inside.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Presidio County police and deputies were able to halt the escaping car and capture four individuals, including two Guatemalan noncitizens and a Mexican noncitizen.

The criminal complaint states that Mendoza Lopez, who was seated in the front passenger seat, was the fourth person in the car.

According to the Justice Department, the driver, who was supposedly Palma, ran away on foot until being discovered the next day at a hotel in Odessa, Texas.

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“For the purpose of picking up and transporting undocumented noncitizens,” Mendoza Lopez and Palma are charged in a news release with heading to Presidio from Fort Cavazos.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Jauregui is charged with recruiting and facilitating the alleged conspiracy involving human smuggling.

Palma’s and Jauregui’s hearings are set for December 6 in Waco, Texas, while Mendoza Lopez had his first court appearance on Monday. Presidio lies on the U.S.-Mexico border, approximately 480 miles southwest of Killeen.

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With more than two years of expertise in news and analysis, Eileen Stewart is a seasoned reporter. Eileen is a respected voice in this field, well-known for her sharp reporting and insightful analysis. Her writing covers a wide range of subjects, from politics to culture and more.