A local resident and two Mexican nationals have been charged with human smuggling, as announced by U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
The criminal complaint accuses Joe Michael Cruz, 64, from Rio Grande City, and Elbis Lisandro Moreno Uruqia, 19, of transporting aliens from Mission to Hebbronville. Jesus Felipe Hernandez Rangel, 21, is alleged to have harbored aliens at a residence in Mission.
All three individuals are scheduled for an initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nadia S. Medrano at 10 a.m.
According to the charges, Cruz arrived at the Hebbronville Border Patrol Checkpoint on July 17 driving a truck towing a box trailer. Law enforcement noticed the trailer had an uneven weight distribution and searched it, discovering 24 illegal aliens including Moreno. The complaint alleges that Moreno was accompanying the aliens in the back of the trailer as a paid smuggler. It is further alleged that Moreno and Cruz had smuggled 18 aliens two weeks earlier.
Two of the transported aliens provided information about a residence where they were earlier that morning. Authorities executed a search warrant at this location and found another 10 illegal aliens with Hernandez identified as the caretaker of the residence.
If convicted, all face up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and Homeland Security Task Force conducted the investigation with assistance from Border Patrol. Assistant U.S. Attorney Devin V. Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America, which aims to combat illegal immigration and transnational criminal organizations while protecting communities from violent crime perpetrators through coordinated efforts by various Department of Justice initiatives.
It should be noted that a criminal complaint is merely an accusation; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty through due process of law.
