Photo by belchonock via Depositphotos
ALPINE, TX – Three U.S. Army soldiers based at Fort Cavazos, Texas, have been arrested on human smuggling charges after attempting to transport undocumented individuals across the Mexican border in late November, according to a report from the Associated Press.
Law enforcement said it stopped a vehicle along the Mexican border in Presidio, about 500 miles outside of Dallas, the closest city to Fort Cavazos, said AP, noting the federal attorney for the Western District of Texas, Jaime Esparza, explained, “[the soldiers] allegedly traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio for the purpose of picking up and transporting undocumented noncitizens.”
Inside the vehicle were two soldiers, alongside a Mexican national and two Guatemalan citizens. The driver was arrested at the scene of the traffic stop, while the second soldier fled the scene, noted AP.
While the third soldier was not inside the vehicle, he is credited by Esparza as “the recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy,” according to recovered cell phone records from the accused.
The following Tuesday, the remaining two soldiers were detained and arrested, reported AP, adding the driver’s attorney, Shane Chriesman, explained once discovery files start rolling in he can “develop a plan of attack” for the defense.
Meanwhile, one accused is being held without bail and the other two accused were expected to make court appearances soon, and obtain legal representation.
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Hi! My name is Karli Oppenheimer and I am a third-year Political Science and Gender Studies student at UCLA. I have a passion for social justice and women's advocacy, demonstrated through my position as Chair for the Policy Committee of IGNITE at UCLA, a reproductive justice organization on campus. Additionally, I write for the magezine Her Campus where I address the interests, struggles, and passions shared amongst collegiate women. I have a thorough law background through both my past employment with Blair and Ramirez LLP, and my summer job where I taught a law and advocacy course to high schoolers at Georgetown University.
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500 miles outside of Dallas accused is being held without bail ALPINE TX arrested on human smuggling charges Associated Press attempting to transport undocumented individuals driver was arrested at the scene of the traffic stop federal attorney for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza Fort Cavazos Law Enforcement Mexican border Mexican border in Presidio Mexican national and two Guatemalan citizens recovered cell phone records recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy second soldier fled the scene the other two accused were expected to make court appearances soon third soldier was not inside the vehicle Three US Army Soldiers Arrested for Human Smuggling at Mexican Border two soldiers were detained and arrested U.S. Army Soldiers based at Fort Cavazos undocumented noncitizens
