As more instances of human smuggling take place at Texas’ southern border, a Texas State Guard soldier was caught using a government vehicle to smuggle an illegal alien into the country in exchange for cash.
The soldier, who deployed from McAllen to Eagle Pass under Operation Lone Star, was caught by the Texas Department of Public Safety and Kinney County Sheriff’s Office attempting to smuggle an illegal alien into the country on Sunday.
Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe told reporter Ali Bradley that the soldier turned around from a pop-up tactical Border Patrol checkpoint in Kinney County. The behavior alerted Border Patrol agents who attempted to stop the vehicle. Texas DPS officers pursued the soldier and used spike strips to stop the vehicle.
After being stopped and the driver arrested, the illegal alien in the vehicle fled on foot and was later apprehended.
Sources revealed that the soldier was allegedly promised $5,000 to $6,000 to transport the illegal alien.
Texas DPS later identified the soldier as 26-year-old Texas State Guard member Savion Johnson. He is currently facing charges including evading arrest, smuggling of persons, and unlawful carry of a weapon.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott responded to the incident stating, “If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and criminal. We have zero tolerance for Texans who violate laws that directly contradict the mission we are seeking to achieve.”
“The accused’s illegal smuggling may subject him to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 10 years. He deserves more,” Abbott added.
Texas Scorecard has reported on other instances of human smuggling within the state.
One instance involved a 17-year-old Honduran national who was responsible for causing a head-on crash that killed himself, two Americans, and five illegal aliens he was attempting to smuggle into the country.
Texas has attempted to curb the flow of illegal aliens crossing the border by passing Senate Bill 4, which makes illegal entry a state crime that can result in removal. That law has been placed on hold as it moves through the courts.
