Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts
One bust involved a man accused of smuggling five illegal aliens; another netted a bus passenger wanted for rape.
Here are this week's three biggest criminal apprehensions at the Texas border:
1. Yukon or Tahoe? Border Patrol Busts Alleged Smuggler With 5 Aliens
A Border Patrol chief announced the arrest and prosecution of an alleged human smuggler last week — but the details seemed to shift depending on where you looked.
Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez of the Rio Grande Valley sector posted on X on May 21 that agents had intercepted a white Tahoe allegedly used in an alien smuggling operation near Weslaco. 'Great Teamwork!' she wrote, alongside a photo showing one detained driver and five apparent illegal aliens.
A separate post by the same Border Patrol sector — this time on Facebook — described the vehicle as a white Yukon. The types of vehicles described are very similar. However, the photo depicts a GMC, and only GMC makes the Yukon.
Both posts claimed the driver was prosecuted under 8 U.S. Code § 1324, a statute commonly used in human smuggling cases. The names of those involved have not been released, and neither post included a specific date of arrest or location beyond the general sector.
According to federal law, § 1324 violations can carry up to 10 years per count, with heightened penalties if the smuggling was done for profit or in a manner that endangered human life.
The incident appears to be one of several recent smuggling cases in the Rio Grande Valley, a region that federal officials routinely cite as a major corridor for illegal entry and trafficking.
2. Minnesota Rape Suspect Nabbed at Border
A man wanted for rape in Minnesota was arrested over Memorial Day weekend while attempting to enter the United States through a Texas port of entry, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release.
CBP officials say 50-year-old Nestor Martinez Carrillo was traveling by bus when he arrived at the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge near Laredo on May 24. Officers reportedly flagged Carrillo for secondary inspection, then used biometric tools and law enforcement databases to confirm his identity.
Officials say Carrillo had an outstanding felony arrest warrant issued by the Stearns County Sheriff's Office in Minnesota. The warrant, originally filed in August 2020, stemmed from a third-degree criminal sexual conduct case involving a failure to appear in court.
He was transported to the Webb County Jail and booked the same day, The Dallas Express reported. Jail records show Carrillo now faces a charge of 'sexual assault.' Like all criminal charges, the allegations remain unproven until tried in court.
CBP officials cited the National Crime Information Center — a federal database for active warrants — as the tool that allowed officers to confirm Carrillo's fugitive status.
The arrest was one of several over Memorial Day weekend. According to CBP, another individual wanted in Dallas County for allegedly soliciting minors online was apprehended on May 26, while yet another man accused of rape in Illinois was caught on May 21. A twice-deported sex offender, convicted of assaulting a 14-year-old, was reportedly picked up that same day.
'These types of apprehension perfectly exemplify CBP's ongoing commitment to keeping our communities secure,' said Port Director Tater Ortiz in the agency's press release.
3. Jesus Cedillo Turned A $6K Job Into A 10-Year Sentence for Moving Cocaine
A man who admitted to transporting nearly 30 kilograms of cocaine through a Texas Border Patrol checkpoint was sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas announced May 28.
Federal prosecutors say Jesus Cedillo, 36, was stopped on October 28, 2024, near the Falfurrias checkpoint. A Border Patrol K-9 reportedly alerted to Cedillo's vehicle, prompting agents to search the car. Inside the speaker boxes in the trunk, they allegedly discovered multiple bundles of cocaine totaling 28.6 kilograms.
Cedillo pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute and was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release.
He admitted that a former co-worker had recruited him to make the delivery to Houston for $6,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bird prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Border Patrol and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Although the source and destination of the drugs remain undisclosed, the bust adds to a growing pattern of drug couriers using everyday vehicles to ferry large narcotics loads through inland checkpoints, sometimes for relatively small compensation.
To read about last week's biggest border busts, click here: Texas Takedown Weekly: Border's Biggest Busts (May 23)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Sailboat carrying 16 migrants intercepted off the coast of Point Loma
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Sixteen migrants were intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard off the coast of Point Loma over the weekend, according to a statement released by the maritime law enforcement branch. The incident occurred Saturday when the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Petrel located and boarded a 25-foot sailboat, approximately 54 miles southwest of Point Loma. The operation was initiated after a C-130 aircraft from Air Station Sacramento identified the vessel and directed the cutter to its position. 5 arrested after deadly smuggling incident off San Diego coast; girl remains missing Authorities say the boarding was conducted without incident or use of force. Once onboard, officers discovered 16 individuals, all of whom claimed to be Mexican nationals. The migrants were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody at Ballast Point. No injuries were reported, and the incident remains under investigation. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Post
2 hours ago
- New York Post
Egg prices have plummeted since Trump took office — after hitting all-time high in March
The price of eggs has dropped just over 61% since President Donald Trump took office in January, after spiking to an all-time high in March. The most recent data from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shows white, large shell eggs are now $2.52 per dozen nationally. On Jan. 21, that same carton of eggs would have run an American about $6.49, according to data website Trading Economics. Trading Economics shows eggs were over $8 a dozen the first week of March. 'Shell egg demand posted a slight improvement headed into the Memorial Day weekend but remained well below average in the continuation of a trend that began during the sharp price increases in late winter,' the USDA Egg Markets Overview weekly publication said. Back in April, a study by Clarify Capital said over 30% of Americans had stopped buying eggs due to their exorbitant cost. Weaker demand and a lull in new cases of bird flu helped cool prices, analysts said at the time. 3 The price of eggs has dropped just over 61% since President Donald Trump took office after a spike in March. AP Photo/David Dermer 3 Data from the US Department of Agriculture shows white, large shell eggs are now $2.52 per dozen nationally, compared to the same carton of eggs costing about $6.49 in January of this year. AP That same month, Reuters reported that the US had increased imports of eggs from Turkey, Brazil and South Korea in an attempt to increase supplies amid an ongoing bird flu outbreak that has killed nearly 170 million chickens, turkeys and other birds since 2022. Since the outbreak began in 2022, bird flu has affected over 166 million birds, including 127 million egg layers. This equates to an average loss of 42.3 million egg layers per year, or about 11% of the five-year average annual layer inventory of 383 million hens since the outbreak began, according to Bernt Nelson, an economist with the American Farm Bureau Foundation. 3 According to analysts, a weaker demand and a lull in new cases of bird flu helped cool prices. AFP via Getty Images The USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirms that the effects of the outbreak continue today. 'To date, USDA APHIS has confirmed 43 outbreaks in layer flocks in 10 states (AZ, CA, IA, IN, MO, NC, OH, PA, SD, and WA),' the Egg Markets Overview said.
New York Post
4 hours ago
- New York Post
Pup fatally struck by speeding e-bike – and grieving NYC owner can't get justice thanks to legal loophole: ‘Just heartbreaking'
A tiny pooch was fatally struck by an e-bike in a sidewalk hit-run on the Upper East Side on Memorial Day – but the dog's grieving owner says she can't get justice for the pup because of a loophole in state law. 6 Little Fennel was tragically struck and killed by an e-bike in a sidewalk hit-and-run in Manhattan over Memorial Day weekend. Local resident Sarah Grant's 18-month-old shih tzu-poodle mix Fennel – who Grant rescued in December – was out with a dog walker when she was struck on the sidewalk by an e-bike rider on East 96th Street near Third Avenue in Manhattan just before 6 p.m. that Monday, her owner said. Advertisement 'She was not very responsive,' Grant told The Post, recalling the moment her dog walker rushed Fennel back to her nearby apartment building. 'Her eyes rolled back into her head, and she was barely moving. It was just heartbreaking.' Fennel sustained a traumatic brain injury and severe skull fracture and was euthanized hours later. But when her owner attempted to file a police report with the NYPD, she was told she couldn't, as the incident wasn't a criminal matter — because dogs are only considered property under the law. Advertisement 6 The 18-month-old pop was struck by a speeding e-bike rider on the sidewalk on East 96th Street near Third Avenue. Google Maps 'I pushed back. If dogs are property, then this is a property crime,' Grant said. 'And they [still] said, 'No, you cannot submit a report.' ' Grant said. She said she was told only her dog walker — who was also injured in the incident — could file a report. 'This is a wake-up call for me,' Grant said. 'I've always had pets, and it's an oversight that there is no legal recourse. Advertisement 'Setting a car on fire is considered to be a worse felony than setting a dog on fire.' The legal loophole is already the subject of a state bill introduced in January by Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan). The bill seeks to swap the 'property' classification of such animals to 'sentient beings' and establish that they can be a victim of a crime. The bill has remained in committee since its introduction. A 'sentient being is one who perceives or responds to sensations of whatever kind—sight, hearing, touch, taste, or smell,' according to Merriam-Webster's dictionary. 6 State Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal (D-Manhattan) is pushing to reclassify animals under the law and establish that they can be a victim of a crime. AP Advertisement The Mayor's Office of Animal Welfare told The Post it is looking into the matter in conjunction with other city agencies. 'We are heartbroken to hear about Fennel and are in touch with her family,' a rep for the office told The Post. 6 Upper East Side resident Sarah Grant says she just wants justice for her pup Fennel. In addition to championing Rosenthal's bill to reclassify animals as 'sentient beings' under the law, Grant is calling for more enforcement for pedestrians safety on Gotham's sidewalks, where any form of biking is illegal for riders over the age of 12. 'Whether that's for humans or pets, it needs to be a bigger priority,' Grant said of the issue. 'An e-bike at that speed is deadly. I think people need to have a license and prove they have an understanding of traffic law in order to drive them.' Janet Schroeder, director and co-founder of the NYC E-Vehicle Safety Alliance, which has called for the registration and licensing of e-bikes, told The Post that Fennel's passing is 'incredibly sad' and 'infuriating' — but not surprising. 'The fact that the e-biker fled is also expected,' she said. 'The rider flees the crash scene the majority of the time and therefore the rider can't be held accountable because they can't be identified.' 6 Fennel was out with a dog walker when he was killed. Advertisement Schroeder said Fennel's untimely death is yet another reason city legislators must pass the proposed Priscilla's Law, a 'common-sense solution' requiring license plates on e-vehicles 'so that egregious riding can be identified by enforcement cameras and riders held accountable to following the basic rules of the road which will change egregious riding behavior.' In 104 e-bike-related crashes that Schroeder's group recorded, only four riders remained at the scene, according to the coalition — and in only six cases were crashes logged by the NYPD. 'This is a public-health crisis, and there is blood on the hands of any legislator who continues to do nothing but talk,' Schroeder added. 6 The pooch was adopted as a rescue dog in December. Advertisement Fennel's tragic passing comes just weeks after the mauling of chihuahua pup Penny on the Upper West Side by a pair of pitbulls sparked public outcry over how the city and state handle animal-related crimes. As dogs are considered property under state law, police often don't get involved unless a human is attacked or a human owner participates in crimes against dogs — and justice for Penny has yet to be served as well, animal advocates say. '[From] East Harlem to Brooklyn, there are people who … have the same concern: Somebody has dogs who attack other dogs, and nobody does anything about it,' city Council Member Gale Brewer told The Post this month. 'The agencies try, but they operate in a silo. We need to have everyone working together.' Advertisement Grant said, 'I think if people knew and understood the ramifications of [the law], it would help galvanize action. 'I don't want any money out of this — I just want accountability, I want the laws to change,' she said. 'I don't want any other people to have to go through what I'm going through.'
