The fourth person accused of helping move people in the country illegally from Starr County to Houston using a government vehicle was arrested Wednesday.
Mari Cruz Rosa was charged by an indictment naming three others: Magali Rosa, her husband, Juan Antonio Charles, and Bernice Annette Garza, the former crime victims coordinator for the Starr County District Attorney’s Office.
All four are facing a conspiracy charge for working together to move people illegally present in the U.S. from Starr County to other parts of the state.
The case started when Magali Rosa and Juan Antonio Charles were stopped driving a vehicle registered to the Starr County District Attorney’s office just outside of Victoria, Texas on Dec. 7. The deputy discovered three of the people in the vehicle were not legally present in the U.S. and they all were taken to the sheriff’s office.
Rosa told investigators Garza recruited her help to drive immigrants from Rio Grande City to Houston, according to a criminal complaint.
Garza was employed with the Starr County District Attorney’s Office as the crime victim coordinator at the time and was assigned the vehicle that day.
She was terminated from her position after her arrest.
Rosa went before a federal judge in Corpus Christi last week for an initial appearance and requested appointed counsel. An arraignment is scheduled for Tuesday.
The remaining suspects, Garza, Rosa and Charles, entered not guilty pleas and are awaiting trial.
