Federal prosecutors have charged three men accused of packing 15 people in the country illegally into the cab and bed of a truck before leading Border Patrol on a 13-mile chase.
Border Patrol arrested Jonathan Vasquez, a U.S. citizen born in 1994, and Mexican citizens Enrique Antonio Turrubiates-Piera, born in 1998, and Mauro Lopez-Rodriguez, born in 1988, last Thursday.
The chase occurred south of Alamo when agents saw a red Ford F-150 traveling southbound on Tower Road at a high rate of speed, according to the complaint, which said Border Patrol actually recognized the truck from a previous smuggling event in September.
A Border Patrol camera operator honed in on the vehicle and watched as 15 people boarded the cabin and the bed near the Rio Grande.
The camera operator relayed the observation to agents on the ground who encountered the truck with their emergency equipment activated.
“The F-150 was observed with unrestrained people piled on top of each other in the rear seats and laying flat in the bed,” the complaint stated. “The F-150 was pursued for approximately 13 miles until it was disabled by a successful deployment of a controlled tire deflation device.”
The complaint said the driver of the truck, Vasquez, made a hard stop and people tried to run but were all caught.
In an interview after his arrest, Vasquez claimed he contacted a smuggler in Mexico to help him cross his wife and child into the United States. According to the complaint, Vasquez said the smuggler told him he would help cross his family and pay him $450 per person he transported.
However, when Vasquez arrived at the river he panicked because he didn’t see his family with the group of people who had just crossed, according to the complaint.
“Vasquez said a foot guide sat in the front passenger seat and ordered him to drive as a Border Patrol vehicle approached,” the complaint stated. “Vasquez claimed he eventually stopped the truck and surrendered to Border Patrol after fleeing.”
That foot guide is Turrubiates, and he also spoke with authorities after his arrest, according to Border Patrol.
“Turrubiates claimed he earns $100 per person and has guided around 10 groups since May of 22,” the complaint stated. “Turrubiates said he was working with another brush guide.”
That brush guide is Lopez, who Turrubiates said also earned $100 per person and also told agents he guided groups with Lopez twice before, according to the complaint.
“Lopez denied any involvement as a foot guide when questioned by Agents,” the complaint stated.
Three people who crossed illegally, a woman from Honduras, a Mexican man and Mexican woman, all told agents they feared for their lives or were scared because of the speeds that Vasquez drove.
