BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrested five suspects on Wednesday in connection with a human smuggling investigation, according to Sheriff Javier Salazar.
The BCSO Human Exploitation Unit and the U.S. Border Patrol Laredo Sector investigated the case and conducted a series of operations in April.
Salazar said the suspects are known to “circumvent” border patrol checkpoints and use well-organized human smuggling routes.
BCSO Organized Crime and Gang Units members executed search warrants simultaneously on Wednesday morning at two locations, including one in the 3700 block of West Avenue.
Before the West Avenue search warrant, Salazar said that Mary Lou Tula, 49, and Alexis Segundo Olivo Fernandez, 44, were taken into custody during a traffic stop. Another suspect, 24-year-old Jose Francisco Barrientos Vega, was taken into custody at the location of the other search warrant, according to BCSO.
BCSO said that Vega was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and smuggling of persons. According to Salazar, Vega is a Mexican citizen who’s in the U.S. without documentation.
Tula was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, smuggling of persons and operating a stash house, Salazar said. She’s believed to be a U.S. citizen.
Salazar described Fernandez as a suspected member of the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang. BCSO said that he’s an undocumented immigrant.
Salazar mentioned that two other suspects, 25-year-old Brandon German Suarez and 19-year-old Bryan Jordan Suarez, were arrested amid search warrants executed on Wednesday. They face drug-related charges and are believed to be U.S. citizens, according to BCSO.
Salazar said a sixth suspect is suspected to be a member of Tren de Aragua. However, the person has not yet been arrested.
Several suspects admitted to smuggling five to 15 people per week on average, according to Salazar.
The suspects facing human smuggling charges have an affiliation with organizations that are responsible for upwards of $1 million of seized cash, Salazar stated.
Salazar said each suspect would soon be booked into the Bexar County jail on Wednesday evening.
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