WASHINGTON: At least two active duty military soldiers out of an Army post in Texas are currently under investigation for an illegal immigrant smuggling operation.
Marco Antonio Nava Jr and Joseph Cleveland, two US soldiers out of the Ft. Bliss Army post in El Paso, were arrested by border patrol officers at Falfurias, Texas Border Patrol Station Checkpoint last Saturday, WOAI reported.
Nava and Cleveland were allegedly trying to smuggle two Mexican citizens in the back seat of the car as they drove into the US.
The men, who were not wearing their uniform at the time of their arrest, told Border Patrol agents that they were apart of the 377 TC Company at Ft. Bliss and that it was their second time smuggling in illegal immigrants for pay.
Marco Antonio Nava Jr and Joseph Cleveland, two US soldiers out of the Ft. Bliss Army post in El Paso, were arrested by border patrol officers at Falfurias, Texas Border Patrol Station Checkpoint (above) last Saturday
Nava told authorities during a debriefing that other soldiers at Ft. Bliss are allegedly involved in the smuggling ring and identified the leader of the group as a Private First Class.
It’s unclear how long the operation has been going on or exactly how many others are involved at the post, which is the headquarters for El Paso Intelligence Center (EPIC), a federal tactical operational intelligence center.
Nava told authorities that about one week before he was caught, the group of soldiers at the Army post smuggled six illegal immigrants through the Falfurrias Checkpoint, WOAI reported.
When officials questioned how they were able to do it, ‘Nava stated that all of the aliens were simply sitting inside the vehicles with them,’ WOAI reported.
The illegal immigrants were dropped off at a house roughly 30 minutes north of Houston after they were picked up at a trailer.
