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A 22-year-old man is facing up to 10 years in federal prison for conspiracy to transport people illegally in the country, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Southern District of Texas.
Luis Ruiz-Valdez was arrested for conspiracy to transport people illegally present in the U.S. and is facing up to 10 years in prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.
According to the criminal complaint, Border Patrol agents observed several people breach the border wall near Hidalgo and run to a nearby parking lot where they entered a red Ford F-150 lot at approximately 7:50 a.m. on April 18.
Ruiz was the alleged driver of the F-150.
“The red F-150 fled the scene at a high rate of speed,” the complaint said. “One subject was unable to enter the vehicle and was apprehended at the location.”
It was then that state troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the F-150 for speeding, but the vehicle failed to yield and led troopers in a high-speed pursuit through McAllen.
Three people were observed lying in the bed of the truck throughout the pursuit.
Eventually, the vehicle crashed into a cement barricade on Expressway 83 and became immobilized.
One male passenger attempted to run on foot but was apprehended.
That passenger stated to authorities that Ruiz was driving erratically to elude police and told him to stop multiple times, but Ruiz refused.
One of the subjects in the bed of the truck told authorities that he feared for his life when he felt the truck accelerate after hearing sirens.
Both men identified Ruiz as the driver of the Ford F-150 in a photo lineup.
Ruiz is set to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan F. Alanis Friday afternoon for his preliminary examination and detention hearing.
If convicted, Ruiz is facing up to 10 years in prison with the possibility of a $250,000 maximum fine.
