Three U.S. Army soldiers accused of human smuggling in Texas

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has filed a criminal complaint accusing three U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Cavazos, Texas, of conspiring to smuggle undocumented noncitizens. The soldiers—Emilio Mendoza Lopez, Angel Palma, and Enrique Jauregui—allegedly participated in a scheme that culminated in a vehicle pursuit and crash near Presidio, Texas, on November 27.

According to a Department of Justice (DOJ) press release, U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped a vehicle carrying undocumented individuals after it attempted to flee and collided with another car. The driver fled on foot but was apprehended along with the passengers.

The DOJ alleges Mendoza Lopez and Palma traveled from Fort Cavazos to Presidio to transport the noncitizens, with Jauregui acting as the recruiter and organizer of the operation. Investigators recovered evidence from Palma’s phone, uncovering messages that indicated coordination between the soldiers.

Mendoza Lopez has been charged, while Palma and Jauregui are scheduled to appear in court on December 6. The case remains under investigation, with U.S. Border Patrol, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division providing support.