AUSTIN, Texas — Three soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos are facing criminal charges related to alleged involvement in a conspiracy to smuggle undocumented migrants.
According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas, a U.S. Border Patrol Agent initiated a vehicle stop in Presidio on Nov. 27. The vehicle fled the scene as the agent approached the passenger side and struck a second Border Patrol vehicle, which injured an agent inside.
Presidio County deputies and officers with the Presidio Police Department eventually stopped the vehicle and arrested four people, three of whom were undocumented migrants— one Mexican national and two Guatemalan nationals.
The fourth person was Emilio Mendoza Lopez, who claimed to be the front seat passenger in the vehicle. The driver, alleged to be Angel Palma, fled on foot and was found at a hotel in Odessa on Nov. 28. Mendoza Lopez and Palma allegedly traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio to pick up and transport undocumented immigrants.
A third person, identified as Enrique Jauregui, is alleged to be the recruiter and facilitator of the human smuggling conspiracy. Data extracted from Palma’s phone through a search warrant revealed messages between the three soldiers.
Mendoza Lopez is charged with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens. Palma and Jauregui are charged in a separate criminal complaint with one count of bringing in and harboring aliens and one count of assaulting a federal agent.
Officials released the following statement after their arrest:
“We are aware of the arrest of three Fort Cavazos Soldiers. III Armored Corps will continue to cooperate with all federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Any additional questions should be directed to the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division at CIDPAO@army.mil.
Releasable information about the Soldiers follows. All are considered innocent until proven guilty.
Spc. Angel Palma is an infantryman (11B) from McFarland, California.
Pfc. Enrique Jauregui is a Stryker systems maintainer (91S) from Tacoma, Washington.
Pfc. Emilio Mendoza Lopez is a wheeled vehicle mechanic (91B) from Bensenville, Illinois.
All are assigned to 3d Cavalry Regiment.”