National Guardsmen Suspected of Immigrant Smuggling

For years now the immigration debate has divided the country into two camps: those who think illegal immigrants should stay and those that think they should go. Then there is another division that nobody knew about until today. The National Guardsmen who were helping illegal immigrants cross the border for cash.

The Associated Press is reporting that three National Guardsmen, who were assigned to the Texas-Mexico border, were accused Thursday of running and immigrant smuggling ring when it was found that a van they were driving held 24 immigrants.

Pfc. Jose Rodrigo Torres, 26, and Sgt. Julio Cesar Pacheco, 25, and Sgt. Clarence Hodge Jr., 36, of Fort Worth, were arrested near Laredo. The Guardsmen were arraigned Monday on felony charges of conspiring to transport illegal immigrants.

Torres was driving the van along I-35 in Texas, 68 miles north of the Mexican border, when a Border Patrol agent stopped them. The Border Patrol agent immediately saw 24 illegal Mexican immigrants, crammed into the back of the van, which was leased to the National Guard. Torres was reportedly still in uniform.

Sgt. Clarence Hodge Jr. is accused of allowing Torres to pass through the border checkpoint without question, making it look like official National Guard business.

Sgt. Julio Cesar Pacheco on the other hand is accused of recruiting soldiers to transport the migrants for $1,000 to $3,500 per trip.

The Guardsman organized everything via their cellphones. Everything from price, to times, and the number of illegal immigrants were communicated through text messaging. Below are the actual messages found on their cellphones, just hours before being arrested.

Torres typed to Hodge: "Tell them ill only do 1 run @ no more than 20 people @ $150 a person and i want 2 leave @ 1930 hrs and ill go 2 San Anto if they want."

From Torres to Pacheco (responding to a message that the trip was a go) :"24 will b tuff 2 fit but ill try."

After being arrested Torres told federal investigators that it was his seventh trip and implicated Hodge as the soldier that allowed him to pass through the Mexico-America checkpoint. Once Hodge was brought in for questioning, he confessed that he had allowed Torres to pass through the checkpoint and added that Sgt. Julio Cesar Pacheco had been the one who had recruited him.

"Our military service members have an affirmative obligation to be actively supportive of our law enforcement partners at every level of government. This is our duty. Any breach of the public's trust and military law by our soldiers will be thoroughly investigated," said Texas Adjutant General Lt. Gen. Chuck Rodriguez.

All three Guardsmen are being held on a $75,000 bond.

Sources:

ALICIA A. CALDWELL, "Soldiers Suspected of Alien Smuggling" Associated Press. URL: (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/S/SOLDIERS_IMMIGRANT_SMUGGLING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2007-06-11-19-12-36)