An indictment on Thursday formally charged the former Starr County District Attorney crime victims coordinator and three other defendants for their involvement in a human smuggling operation that used a government vehicle.
Bernice Annette Garza, who served as the crime victims coordinator in the Starr County District Attorney’s office until her arrest, Magaly Rosa, her husband, Juan Antonio Charles, and Mari Cruz Rosa, were named in the three-count indictment.
Garza and the couple were arrested following a traffic stop near Victoria, Texas on Dec. 7 as Rosa and her husband, Charles, were taking four people who were illegally in the U.S. to Houston.
After the stop, Rosa told investigators that Garza recruited her to smuggle people from Starr County using a Starr County District Attorney vehicle since June, according to the criminal complaint.
The complaint stated there was a fourth person involved but didn’t name them.
But following Thursday’s indictment, government prosecutors requested the court issue an arrest warrant for Maricruz Rosa.
All four are facing a conspiracy charge for moving people illegally present in the country, but only Garza, Charles and his wife are facing two other smuggling counts connected to the Dec. 7 incident.
The maximum penalty for the conspiracy count is no more than 10 years and could include a fine of up to $250,000. The smuggling counts can carry a maximum sentence of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
An arraignment is scheduled for next week.
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