HOUSTON, June 11 Three members of the Texas National Guard helping patrol the Mexican border have been charged with human smuggling after federal agents found one of them in uniform driving a van crammed with 24 illegal immigrants north of Laredo, the Justice Department said Monday.
The guardsmen, including two sergeants, were assigned to Operation Jump Start assisting the Border Patrol and had run multiple smuggling trips at fees of $1,500 to $2,000 per passenger, according to the complaint by the United States attorney for the Southern District of Texas, Don DeGabrielle.
The complaint cited cellphone text messages exchanged among them like 24 will b tuff 2 fit but ill try.
The driver accused in the case, Pfc. Jose Rodrigo Torres, 26, of Laredo, was arrested late last Thursday. The two other soldiers, Sgt. Julio Cesar Pacheco, 25, also of Laredo, and Sgt. Clarence Hodge Jr., 36, of Fort Worth, were arrested Friday, and all three appeared in federal court in Laredo early Monday. The federal government, citing policy, declined to release their official booking photographs.
The men were ordered held in the Webb County jail in Laredo on $75,000 bail, pending a preliminary hearing June 19 or a possible federal indictment on smuggling conspiracy charges, which carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000. The three have not entered pleas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/12/us/12texas.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
3 Guardsmen Charged With Human Smuggling
Discussion in 'Other News' started by littlebit, Jun 12, 2007.
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I wonder if we gave back Texas to Mexico if they would stop comming over the border? We'll throw in Lousiana too, just to seal the deal.
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Maybe we can make a deal,let them all come here and when they are away,we'll take that over and call it the new new us mexico,and everything will be great,good idea? not.
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MX has already laid claim to the south west. TX AZ NM NV CA CO
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