A Beeville man faces drug smuggling charges as a result of authorities discovering his wallet near an abandoned vehicle that was loaded with marijuana bundles, records show.
The arrest and subsequent indictment of Rosbel Garcia on drug smuggling charges is related to his June arrest, records show.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested Garcia shortly after discovering an abandoned vehicle near an area known for human and drug smuggling, known as Reyes Landing, near the river.
“At approximately 10:40 p.m. BPAs observed a white Chevrolet Silverado drive along the river road, adjacent to the Rio Grande River, and a park in the area of Reyes Landing,” the document states. “BPAs observed that the Silverado remained parked at the river for approximately five minutes. Moments later, BPAs observed the Silverado depart Reyes Landing and travel northbound on Midway Road.”
Border Patrol agents followed the vehicle in an attempt to get closer, but the driver of the Silverado, later identified as Garcia, ran through a stop sign at an intersection in an attempt to elude agents.
“The Silverado subsequently failed to yield and agents pursued the vehicle as it drove north through Rio Grande City, Texas,” the complaint states. “After a few minutes the driver abandoned the vehicle in a brushy area near the intersection of Alvarez Road and Agua Verde Road.”
When agents inspected the vehicle, and the surrounding area they found more than 14 bundles of marijuana inside the vehicle that was later confirmed to weigh more than 570 pounds.
Despite initially eluding capture, Garcia was found at a location in Rio Grande City after agents, who searched around the area of the abandoned vehicle, located a black wallet that had inside, Garcia’s identification, and roughly $1,600 in cash.
“Agents subsequently pursued the driver of the Silverado with a Border Patrol K-9 officer who is trained to track (people). Agents subsequently tracked the driver southeast towards Alvarez Road. While tracking the driver, agents located the driver’s shoes, shirt, and part of the driver’s phone,” the document states.
Moments later they found Garcia without a shirt, shoes, and missing half of his cell phone, the record shows.
“Agents observed numerous fresh scratches and cuts on Garcia’s torso, arms, and legs,” the record states.
Garcia, who admitted to being the driver of the Silverado that fled from the area of the river, said he was going to be paid for smuggling bundles of marijuana.
On Monday, Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of a drug smuggling conspiracy, records show.
He is currently set for sentencing Jan. 7, records show.
