EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A resident of Oklahoma is facing federal criminal charges after he allegedly attempted to smuggle more than a dozen guns and rifles to Mexico.

A special U.S. Customs and Border Protection anti-smuggling and terrorism team arrested Misael Muniz during a surprise inspection of vehicles headed to Mexico last Sunday at the Eagle Pass international bridge.

Court records show Muniz and an unspecified number of passengers were inside a black GMC Yukon pulling a box trailer, attempting to depart the United States around 12:10 a.m. on July 23. CBP officers searched the box trailer and allegedly found 14 firearms and 26 bullet magazines hidden within false compartments in a toolbox and the base of an air compressor.

The firearms included an AR-15 assault rifle, four shotguns, and nine high-caliber handguns.

Muniz initially told border officers he was driving a group of people from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Guanajuato, Mexico, in exchange for money and that the trailer held their possessions, court records show. But after being pulled in for questioning, he allegedly told Homeland Security Investigations agents and CBP officers he was paid $880 upfront to transport the guns to Mexico and would be paid additional amounts for each firearm, depending on caliber and condition.

Muniz told investigators the other occupants of the Yukon did not know about the hidden firearms and that he was aware it is unlawful to export firearms from the United States to another country without a license, court records show.

He is charged with smuggling goods (firearms) out of the United States. The offense carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

The smuggling of guns to Mexico has become a hot-button issue in the binational relationship in recent years, as Mexican authorities say most murders committed there involve firearms illegally brought into Mexico.

The Mexican government has filed two lawsuits, one against U.S. gun makers and one against Arizona gun dealers, to get them to stop selling guns to people they know will take them to Mexico. A judge tossed out the first lawsuit and the one in Arizona remains in progress.

In Guanajuato, security experts say that drug gangs have unleashed unprecedented violence in the past four years as they fight for control of drug routes, illegal meth sales, fuel theft, and extortion activities.

LAREDO, Tx. (KGNS) - Authorities continued to search for a suspect who is believed to be tied to multiple carjacking incidents on Thursday evening.

Laredo Police say the first incident happened in south Laredo, the second was on the city’s west side and at some point, in between, a robbery took place.

One of the individuals who was victimized was a man who we are calling “Kevin” for the sake of his protection.

Laredo Police say Kevin’s interaction with the suspect was the start of many incidents.

Kevin said he was clearing out some of his belongings from his car outside his house in south Laredo, when his mom approached him to tell him that a suspicious man was getting near his vehicle.

The man approached Kevin and his mom and asked them to take him to the Greyhound bus terminal downtown in exchange for $1,000.

After Kevin declined the offer, Kevin says the man displayed a gun and threatened to kill him and his mother and little brother who was also outside.

“He told us no, everyone is coming with me. All of you get in the car, and my mom told him: “No, no, we don’t want any trouble”, said Kevin. “I told him take the car, and just leave us alone please we don’t want any trouble that’s fine, you can take it and he started making threats: “No, no, you all are going to come with me you are going to call the police, you better get or I’m going to kill you all”.

After a heated discussion between the suspect, the family rushed inside their neighbor’s house and called police.

The suspect decided to take Kevin’s vehicle and fled the scene.

According to police, the suspect then stopped at a business to demand a cellphone and then he took off.

The suspect then stole another car at the 3700 block of Santa Cleotilde.

During this time, police had been told about the alleged crimes.

Police say the man was last seen wearing a red shirt, white shorts and has tattoos on his face.

If you have any information on the man’s identity or whereabouts, you are urged to call police at 956-795-2800.

EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A federal grand jury has leveled criminal charges against a former El Paso U.S. Border Patrol who allegedly promised a woman immigration “papers” in exchange for $5,000.

Fernando Castillo, described in court documents as an agent in the Foreign Operations Branch of the Border Patrol at the time of the offense, is set to be arraigned in U.S. District Court in El Paso on August 17 on bribery, wire fraud, and migrant smuggling charges.

Wednesday’s indictment and a previous arrest warrant allege Castillo was on duty at the Central Processing Center in Northeast El Paso last June when he approached a woman awaiting removal from the U.S. and offered to have her sent to Mexico instead of El Salvador.

The agent allegedly was driving the woman alone in a van to the Paso del Norte port of entry but stopped and told her he would get her “papeles” (papers) for $5,000. Investigators say “papeles” is slang for immigration documents allowing a foreign national to be in the United States legally.

Castillo allegedly detailed how he could change her Voluntary Return status to a Notice to Appear in court, which could allow her to return to the country and travel unimpeded. Before escorting the woman to the border with Mexico at the Paso del Norte port of entry, the agent allegedly rummaged through the woman’s bag of belongings, the indictment alleges.

The woman claims her bag originally held $830 and 3,725 Mexican pesos (about $225), but when she found herself on the Mexican side, $500 was missing from the bag. The woman returned to the port of entry; she told her story to U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, and they notified the FBI and members of CBP’s Public Corruption Task Force.

While the agents were interviewing the woman, a male whom investigators believed was Agent Castillo called her. The two agreed to speak again the following day. Investigators recorded the next call between the two in which the male told her he would have her “papers” in a few days.

The agents ran an audit of the woman’s immigration file and allegedly documented how Castillo had changed the voluntary removal to a notice to appear at 9:42 a.m. on June 22, then changed it back to voluntary removal at 10:11 a.m. Investigators believe a paper copy of a notice of appearance could have been printed during the lapse and that, if given to the woman, would have allowed her to come into the country and travel legally.

A third call was recorded on the day before the woman was supposed to approach the port of entry, in which she told the male she had the $5,000, and he told her to come in so he could take her to a bus station.

The agents arrested Castillo on the morning of June 28 as he and the woman exited the fenced area of the port. According to the arrest documents, he allegedly had her notice to appear in his possession, and she had the money.

Castillo later agreed to speak to investigators, and he told them he opened her personal belongings bag to hand her a cell phone because she wanted to call her husband. The agent denied stealing any of her money, court documents show.

The Border Patrol agent claimed to investigators that he received a call from Mexican immigration officials telling him the woman he escorted to Mexico was Salvadoran, not Mexican. He told him he became concerned for her safety in Mexico, so he called her cell phone. He said he wanted her back in the U.S. so she could be properly processed and returned to El Salvador.

The agent allegedly acknowledged he did not inform his supervisors of his actions, court documents show.

Investigators decided they had probable cause that Castillo violated statutes regarding bribery of public officials, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office took the case to a grand jury. He is scheduled to appear via Zoom for his arraignment before Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderrama.

The Border Patrol cooperated in the investigation. “CBP takes allegations of misconduct seriously and investigates them thoroughly. The United States Border Patrol is cooperating with the investigation,” the agency said in a statement to Border Report.

Federal officials said Castillo’s “date of separation” from the Border Patrol was July 13, more than two weeks after his arrest.

McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Faced with the prospect of years in federal prison, Samuel Torres Jr. appeared utterly unconcerned Thursday.

Torres — an electrician from Rio Grande City — didn’t explain why he coordinated a cocaine shipment in March 2021. He didn’t apologize. And he made no excuses.

“Just want to get this over with,” Torres said Thursday morning, when he appeared before a judge for sentencing. “And get back to my family.”

Chief U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced Torres to two and a half years in prison.

Prosecutors charged Torres during Operation Ice River, which targeted a drug trafficking organization affiliated with the Gulf Cartel.

Torres and other members of the drug trafficking organization smuggled marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine through Starr County from 2020 to 2021.

They worked for Ignacio “Nacho” Garza, 51, of Rio Grande City and Diego Alberto Reyes Roiz, 42, of Rio Grande City, according to prosecutors. Garza and Reyes coordinated drug shipments and communicated with Gulf Cartel bosses in Camargo and Miguel Aleman, across the border from Starr County.

Garza and Reyes, who pleaded not guilty, claimed they actually worked in construction.

In March 2021, agents intercepted phone calls between Torres, Garza and Reyes about a cocaine shipment.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Cook Profit summarized the incident during a hearing in March 2023, when Torres pleaded guilty.

Torres, Garza and Reyes arranged for a welding truck to be picked up and loaded with about 3.75 kilograms of cocaine.

“On March 4, 2021, the vehicle was stopped by the Brooks County Sheriff’s Office and the 3.75 kilograms of cocaine were discovered in an aftermarket compartment,” Profit said. Torres wasn’t driving the truck, but he “was involved in coordination with all these other people for the vehicle to be loaded and then sent on its way for further distribution.”

A grand jury indicted Torres six months after sheriff’s deputies seized the cocaine.

“Right before he got arrested, he was actually working at the new Tesla plant up in Austin,” attorney Alejandro Guerra of Edinburg, who represented Torres, said during a detention hearing in September 2021. “Doing the electrical wiring for that place.”

Torres pleaded guilty to possession of more than 500 grams of cocaine with intent to distribute. In exchange, prosecutors agreed to drop a conspiracy charge against him.

With credit for 22 months he spent in jail while the case was pending, Torres may be released from prison in less than eight months.

LAREDO, TX. (KGNS) - If you are looking to adopt a furry friend, the Laredo Animal Care Services is waving the adoption fees on Friday and Saturday for anyone interested.

The center is holding its Empty the Shelters adoption event.

Currently, the shelter has over 400 dogs and 100 cats available for adoption and foster.

For those who cannot commit to adopting, there is also a growing need for fosters at the shelter.

If you are interested in adopting or fostering a furry friend, the center will be open on Friday until 7 p.m. and then Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

They are located at the 5200 block of Maher Avenue.

For more information call, (956) 625-1860.

Eagle Pass, TX. (KGNS) - New drone video shows migrants wading past the floating barrier installed by the State of Texas in the Rio Grande to curb migration into the U.S.

The video shot on Thursday shows migrants wading around the buoys and then climbing through concertina wire installed along the riverbank.

The floating fence is part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star to deter illegal border crossings.

The U.S. Justice Department announced that it is suing Texas over the 1,000-foot-long barrier, claiming it violates federal law.