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Less than two years after federal authorities arrested the captain of a lancha fishing illegally off of South Padre Island, the man has found himself back in federal custody after being caught again.
Authorities arrested Eder Tadeo-Perez after he was spotted at approximately 10 p.m. Monday about eight miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and approximately 24 miles east of the shoreline.
“A U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations (CBP AMO) marked law enforcement vessel, utilizing blue law enforcement lights and sirens attempted to stop the vessel,” the complaint stated. “Tadeo failed to heave to for approximately five minutes of active pursuit. Tadeo was observed looking back toward the CBP AMO vessel, continuing to make way taking evasive maneuvers with his hands grasping the engine throttle.”
CBP agents fired two marine warning shots across Tadeo’s bow, prompting him to reduce power and stop his vessel approximately 3 nautical miles east of the shoreline and approximately 500 yards north of the maritime boundary line, according to the complaint.
After his arrest, Tadeo said he knew he was illegally present in U.S. waters and admitted to trying to escape law enforcement, adding he thought the Coast Guard had been chasing him because he had a prior encounter with them.
“However, when he heard two marine warning shots, he realized he was being pursued by CBP AMO,” the complaint stated. “Tadeo stated he knows that the third shot would be utilized to disable the engine, so he finally came to a stop and was taken into custody.”
Tadeo remembers the Coast Guard because they arrested him on Sept. 9, 2022 with approximately 661 pounds of illegally caught red snapper, according to a plea agreement.
In that case, he tried to outrun the Coast Guard for approximately 15 minutes, according to a criminal complaint.
In this instance, he was found approximately 12 nautical miles north of the maritime boundary and traveled away from the Coast Guard at high speeds while making evasive turns and maneuvers, according to the plea agreement.
“The defendant ignored six flash-bang rounds fired over the bow of the defendant’s vessel,” the plea agreement stated.
That document said he finally gave up when he realized he couldn’t outrun the Coast Guard.
He eventually pleaded guilty and in January 2023, Tadeo was sentenced to his time served in custody, which was a little more than four months.
Tadeo made a first appearance in Brownsville federal court on Wednesday morning.
