3 US soldiers charged in human smuggling case

Dec 5

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Craig Nigrelli Anchor

By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

Three U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas, face federal charges for an alleged human smuggling operation near the southern border. The soldiers allegedly conspired to transport undocumented individuals from Mexico and Guatemala into the United States.

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U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, 20, and Enrique Jauregui, 25, after a November incident in Presidio, Texas, court documents revealed.

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On Nov. 27, agents attempted to stop a vehicle near the U.S.-Mexico border. The driver, allegedly Palma, fled the scene after striking a CBP vehicle and injuring an agent inside. Authorities later stopped the vehicle and detained four individuals, including Mendoza Lopez and three undocumented individuals — a Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals.

Investigators said Mendoza Lopez and Palma traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio to pick up and transport the noncitizens.

Jauregui allegedly recruited and facilitated the smuggling operation. Evidence extracted from Palma’s phone reportedly showed messages indicating collaboration among the three soldiers.

Mendoza Lopez attended an initial court appearance on Dec. 2 in Alpine, Texas. Officials charged him with one count of bringing in and harboring noncitizens. Palma and Jauregui, who were arrested on Dec. 3 at Fort Cavazos, face the same charge, along with an additional count of assaulting a federal agent. Both are scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 6 in Waco, Texas.

If convicted, the soldiers face significant penalties.

Fort Cavazos officials confirmed the arrests and stated they are cooperating fully with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The investigation remains ongoing by Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division.

Tags: attorney general, Border patrol, Texas, Trafficking, U.S. Army

[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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