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A U.S. man was arrested at the Falfurrias checkpoint after Border Patrol agents found six people hidden within his tractor-trailer and an additional four “shivering” inside a refrigerated trailer that was nearly 46 degrees cold.
Ricky Ladell Garrett was charged with knowingly and with reckless disregard attempting to transport or move people illegally present in the country by means of transportation.
Garrett entered the primary inspection lane at the Falfurrias checkpoint in a red Freightliner tractor hauling a white refrigerated trailer at about 12:05 a.m. on Saturday.
He told the agent that he was a U.S. citizen and was transporting produce to San Antonio.
When asked for a bill of lading, Garrett “bent over between the seats and began to search for the bill of lading inside a large, plastic file holder.”
As Garrett searched, a K-9 unit alerted his handler to the tractor-trailer.
Garrett was only able to produce a bill of lading for car parts and tires and was instructed to enter the secondary inspection area.
After a “systematic search” of the tractor, six people were discovered concealed in the sleeper area of the tractor-trailer.
“Two subjects were under the bed, three subjects were on the top bunk and one subject was on the bed,” the complaint said.
An x-ray of the tractor-trailer revealed “several anomalies” inside the trailer, according to the complaint.
An agent approached Garrett for the key to the padlock on the trailer to which he stated it was part of his personal property that was seized earlier following his arrest.
The agents broke the seal to the trailer after obtaining the key and found four people “shivering” under blankets inside the refrigeration unit which was set at 45 degrees.
“All the subjects appeared noticeably cold and were shivering due to being inside the refrigerated trailer,” the complaint said.
Garrett refused to speak to authorities without the presence of a lawyer.
He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchel Neurock in Corpus Christi federal court for his initial appearance Monday morning.
