Authorities bust South Texas smuggling ring, prosecutors say

HARLINGEN, Texas (Border Report) -- Four people, including two who law enforcement say are in the United States illegally, have been arrested on charges of leading a human smuggling ring in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas.

Enrique Gonzalez, 57, of Weslaco, and Mexican national Erick Vallejo-Zapata, 21, are set for their initial appearances on Friday in federal court in McAllen before U.S. Magistrate Judge Juan Alanis, U.S. Attorney Nicholas Ganjei said Thursday.

Rigoberto Esteban Perez-Cruz, 37, of Edinburg, and Mexican national Mirza Garcia-Zapata, 37, have already made their appearances, and remain in custody. They have detention hearings on Tuesday, Ganjei said.

A criminal complaint alleges that all four harbored migrants at residences throughout Hidalgo County. Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata and Garcia-Zapata are also alleged to have transported migrants throughout South Texas.

Perez-Cruz was arrested Wednesday on a traffic violation after he left a residence in the border town of Edinburg, officials say. During the traffic stop, authorities say they discovered a migrant in the passenger seat.

A search warrant was then conducted at that residence and another in the nearby town of Donna. Law enforcement say they found an additional 24 migrants, including two unaccompanied minors, according to the charges. The complaint alleges Garcia-Zapata and Perez-Cruz were the caretakers of the stash houses.

Court documents indicate Gonzalez and Vallejo-Zapata transported the migrants to various stash houses across Hidalgo County.

Nine are charged with felony illegal reentry after removal and face up to 10 years in federal prison. Criminal complaints also charge 10 others with illegal entry into the United States.

If convicted, Gonzalez, Vallejo-Zapata, Garcia-Zapata and Perez-Cruz face up to 10 years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.