Three U.S. Army soldiers stationed in Texas were charged earlier this week in an alleged human smuggling operation involving illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Texas said in a release.
Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, and Enrique Jauregui, all stationed at Fort Cavazos near Killeen, Texas, face federal criminal charge of bringing in and harboring aliens. Palma and Jauregui face an additional charge of assaulting a federal agent, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleged Jauregui to be the “recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy.”
All three were arrested on Nov. 27. Officials allege Palma was driving a car in Presidio, Texas, with three illegal immigrants and Mendoza Lopez.
They were stopped by U.S. Border Patrol but fled. Their vehicle hit a Border Patrol, vehicle subsequently injuring an agent inside, according to a criminal complaint filed in Texas.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.