3 US soldiers charged in human smuggling case

[craig nigrelli]

THREE U.S. ARMY SOLDIERS STATIONED AT FORT CAVAZOS, TEXAS, ARE FACING FEDERAL CHARGES TIED TO AN ALLEGED HUMAN SMUGGLING OPERATION. PROSECUTORS SAY THE SOLDIERS—EMILIO MENDOZA LOPEZ, ANGEL PALMA, AND ENRIQUE JAUREGUI—ARE ACCUSED OF WORKING TOGETHER TO TRANSPORT UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS FROM MEXICO AND GUATEMALA INTO THE U.S.

THE CASE BEGAN ON NOVEMBER 27, WHEN BORDER PATROL AGENTS STOPPED A VEHICLE IN PRESIDIO, NEAR THE U.S.-MEXICO BORDER. AS AN AGENT APPROACHED THE CAR, THE DRIVER SPED OFF, STRIKING A BORDER PATROL VEHICLE AND INJURING AN AGENT INSIDE.

LAW ENFORCEMENT EVENTUALLY INTERCEPTED THE CAR AND DETAINED THREE UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS—A MEXICAN NATIONAL AND TWO GUATEMALAN NATIONALS—ALONG WITH MENDOZA LOPEZ, WHO WAS IN THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT.

AUTHORITIES ALLEGE THAT MENDOZA LOPEZ AND PALMA HAD TRAVELED FROM FORT CAVAZOS TO PRESIDIO TO PICK UP THE UNDOCUMENTED INDIVIDUALS, WHILE JAUREGUI IS ACCUSED OF RECRUITING AND ORGANIZING THE SMUGGLING OPERATION. PALMA, BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN THE DRIVER, FLED THE SCENE ON FOOT AND WAS LOCATED THE NEXT DAY AT A HOTEL IN ODESSA, TEXAS.

ALL THREE SOLDIERS FACE CHARGES OF BRINGING IN AND HARBORING NONCITIZENS. PALMA AND JAUREGUI ALSO FACE CHARGES OF ASSAULTING A FEDERAL AGENT AFTER THE FLEEING VEHICLE STRUCK THE BORDER PATROL CAR. INVESTIGATORS SAY TEXT MESSAGES RETRIEVED FROM PALMA’S PHONE REVEAL COORDINATION AMONG THE SOLDIERS IN PLANNING THE SMUGGLING SCHEME.

MENDOZA LOPEZ APPEARED IN COURT EARLIER THIS WEEK, WHILE HEARINGS FOR PALMA AND JAUREGUI ARE SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 6. NONE OF THE SOLDIERS CURRENTLY HAVE ATTORNEYS LISTED IN COURT RECORDS.

FORT CAVAZOS OFFICIALS CONFIRMED THE ARRESTS, STATING THEY ARE COOPERATING FULLY WITH THE INVESTIGATION, WHICH REMAINS ONGOING.

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