An investigation by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents identified a migrant smuggling ring being operated by three U.S. Army Soldiers based at Fort Cavazos near Killeen, Texas.
HSI agents arrested the soldiers Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, and Enrique Jauregui, who now face a federal criminal charge of bringing in and harboring aliens. Two of the defendants face an additional charge of assaulting a federal agent, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced Wednesday.
The investigation commenced after Border Patrol agents in Presidio, Texas, stopped a suspicious vehicle on November 27. According to law enforcement authorities, the vehicle fled as the Border Patrol agents approached the passenger side to interview the occupants. As the vehicle fled, a collision occurred between the suspect vehicle and a second Border Patrol vehicle, causing injury to an agent inside.
According to the filed criminal complaint, Presidio County deputies and officers with the Presidio Police Department eventually stopped the vehicle. They apprehended four people. Three of the occupants were found to be migrants illegally present in the United States—one Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals. Authorities identified the fourth individual as Emilio Mendoza Lopez, who claimed to be the front-seat passenger in the vehicle. Mendoza was later identified as a U.S. Army soldier stationed at Fort Cavazos (formerly Fort Hood).
The driver, alleged to be Army Soldier Angel Palma, fled on foot and was located by authorities the following day at a hotel in Odessa. Investigators examined data extracted from Angel Palma’s phone through a search warrant. They discovered messages between three soldiers that revealed the collaboration in the smuggling operation the Fort Cavazos soldiers were a part of. Presidio, Texas, is nearly 500 miles from the soldier’s duty station.
Based on the information revealed through an examination of Palma’s cell phone, Soldier Enrique Jauregui is believed to be the recruiter and facilitator of the migrant smuggling operation. Mendoza-Lopez appeared on Monday in Alpine, Texas, before U.S. Magistrate Judge David B. Fannin. Mendoza-Lopez is charged with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens.
Angel Palma and Enrique Jauregui were both arrested Tuesday at Fort Cavazos. They are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Manske for their initial appearance hearings in Waco on Friday. The pair of soldiers are charged in a separate criminal complaint with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens and one count of assaulting a federal agent.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza for the Western District of Texas made the announcement.
HSI, the United States Border Patrol, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division continue investigating the case.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
