EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — A man is facing charges of migrant smuggling after he allegedly led Border Patrol agents on a chase in east El Paso County, according to court documents obtained by affiliate KTSM.
Eddie Gonzalez Jr. is facing federal charges of migrant smuggling after he allegedly led agents on a chase on April 28 that started west of the Tornillo port of entry.
According to court documents, Border Patrol agents from the Clint Station were alerted to three people that were attempting to illegally enter the country on April 28 about five miles from the Tornillo port of entry in the eastern part of El Paso County.
As agents approached the area, they reported seeing a car suddenly speed off “at a high rate of speed,” according to court documents.
A Border Patrol agent exited his vehicle and motioned for the vehicle to stop. The agent was wearing his Border Patrol-issued vest while trying to signal for the car to stop, documents said.
The driver of the car, later identified as Gonzalez, continued at a high rate of speed and almost lost control, court documents said. He suddenly stopped near Texas Highway 20 (Alameda) and Leisure Lane in Clint.
An agent arrived at this location and observed the suspect exit his vehicle and take off running. The suspect was later observed being picked up by a pickup truck, which then traveled down Socorro Road at a high rate of speed, documents said.
The driver of the pickup pulled over near the intersection of Alameda and Porter Rebb Road. Agents then approached the vehicle, identified themselves as Border Patrol, and questioned them.
The suspect and the driver, a juvenile, were both identified as U.S. citizens, according to court documents.
Both Gonzalez and the juvenile were placed under arrest and transported to the Clint Border Patrol station.
At the Clint Station, the suspect provided a statement after receiving his Miranda rights. He admitted to having an agreement with a smuggler to pick up migrants and transport them. He told Border Patrol he was going to be paid $180.
The suspect said he knew he was picking up migrants who were trying to enter the country illegally, court documents said.
He also said it was the second time he picked up migrants under this arrangement, court documents said. The suspect said he did not know where he was taking the migrants to.
One person was arrested in the area where the agents were initially alerted about the alleged illegal entry into the country, documents said. That person admitted to being a citizen of Mexico and being illegally present in the United States, according to court documents.
It is unclear if Gonzalez will face any charges for allegedly leading Border Patrol on a chase.
