Three U.S. Army soldiers from Fort Cavazos in Texas have pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle migrants after a high-speed chase with Border Patrol. They were to be paid for picking up migrants near the Rio Grande and transporting them to Odessa. The soldiers, identified as Pfc. Enrique Jauregui, Spc. Angel Palma, and Pfc. Emilio Mendoza Lopez, face up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The trio organized the smuggling attempt, planned a route to bypass a Border Patrol checkpoint, and communicated through cellphone messages. Jauregui even referred to needing to be in “full criminal mode” for the operation.
The smuggling attempt was foiled by Border Patrol, resulting in a chase where an agent was injured after the SUV driven by the soldiers hit a Border Patrol vehicle. The soldiers and some migrants were ultimately arrested. Palma attempted to flee but was later apprehended in a hotel in Odessa. The soldiers’ involvement in migrant smuggling is not clear from the available information, but Jauregui mentioned plans to continue such activities from Odessa to San Antonio in his messages.
The case was investigated by various law enforcement agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and Border Patrol. The soldiers will be sentenced in the coming months.
Note: The image is for illustrative purposes only and is not the original image associated with the presented article. Due to copyright reasons, we are unable to use the original images. However, you can still enjoy the accurate and up-to-date content and information provided.
