Texas Councilman Arrested for Smuggling Illegals
A Crystal City, Texas, councilman was arrested by Homeland Security Investigators in a stolen vehicle on Jan 2, while attempting to smuggle 3 illegal aliens into the United States. Marco Antonio Rodriguez was charged by Federal authorities for transporting undocumented aliens. And he has done it before.
Crystal City is having ‘official’ problems
It appears to be a trend lately of councilmen around the country (and Crystal City in particular) committing crimes — some minor, some not so minor.
Crystal City Manager James Jonas was arrested for assault in December. Crystal City Mayor Pro Tempore Rogelio Mata was arrested on January 24 for DUI. That’s three city officials in the last two months arrested, which simply proves the elections are often a sham and based on popularity rather than voter smarts.
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But Rodriguez was allegedly transporting illegals and getting paid for it.
The Criminal Complaint stated:
“Rodriguez was the driver of a white 2009 Chevy flatbed pickup truck with a ‘Canary’ company logo on it, bearing Oklahoma license plate: 2VL609 that was encountered by United States Border Patrol Agents (BPA) on Highway 85 in Big Wells, TX. BPA approached the Chevy pickup truck as it pulled into a United States Post Office parking lot and approached it to conduct an immigration inspection.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Rodriguez and got out to speak with BPA briefly before getting back in the vehicle and attempting to abscond. BPA were eventually able to apprehend Rodriguez and three passengers. The three passengers were found to be present in the U.S. illegally and Rodriguez and the three passengers were taken to the USBP Station in Carrizo Springs, TX for further questioning.
HSI Special Agents responded to the USBP Station and interviewed two illegal alien passengers who identified Rodriguez…as the individual that picked them up and transported them from the side of the road. HSI Special Agents also interviewed Rodriguez, who waived his 5th Amendment constitutional rights as per Miranda, and verbally admitted to having been hired to pick up and transport the illegal aliens.
Rodriguez also stated he had picked up and transported illegal aliens on two separate other occasions, taking them to San Antonio, Texas and being paid $500 and $1,400 for those previous ventures.”
A serious issue
The council in Crystal City is an unpaid position, which is not an excuse to violate the law. The Canary Company had reported the vehicle stolen, and Rodriguez does not work for the company.
Transporting illegal immigrants is found under Title 18 of the U.S. Criminal Code – 8 U.S.C. 1324. It carried penalties of up to 10 years. That’s not counting the penalty for the Auto Theft. Rodriguez’ term on the council runs out in May of 2016. Hopefully, they’ll remove him by then.
Most residents appear to be disgusted with their officials, saying they need to “clean house.” There’s a lot of that going around.
H/T Uncle Sam’s Misguided Children
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