Former U.S. Army soldier Enrique Jauregui has been sentenced to 33 months in federal prison for assisting in the transportation of illegal aliens for monetary gain, after being caught and arrested by U.S. Border Patrol in late November.
Fellow soldiers, Angel Palma and Emilio Mendoza-Lopez, were recruited by Jauregui to assist in the smuggling of the illegal aliens. All three were stationed at Fort Hood, formerly known as Fort Cavazos, in Central Texas.
An investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, with the help of the U.S. Border Patrol and the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division, Central Texas Field Office, led to the initial arrest of Mendoza-Lopez and the detention of three illegal aliens after a high-speed chase in West Texas.
After fleeing the scene, Palma was arrested the next day in Odessa.
“This sentencing of these individuals underscores the serious consequences of engaging in human smuggling,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens of ICE Homeland Security Investigations El Paso.
“Recruiting fellow soldiers to participate in illegal activities, culminating in a reckless high-speed chase with law enforcement, is a blatant betrayal of duty and public trust. HSI, alongside our law enforcement partners, remains committed to dismantling smuggling networks and ensuring those responsible face justice.”
All three pleaded guilty in early 2025. Both Palma and Mendoza-Lopez were sentenced to 24 months in prison and, along with Jauregui, to three years of supervised release.
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