South Texas City Official Arrested for Smuggling Illegals Across the Border

A city councilman from a south Texas city has been arrested and charged with smuggling illegal immigrants across the border.

According to KENS Eyewitness News, Crystal City councilman Marco Rodriguez was arrested on January 2 and charged with smuggling three illegals across the border in his pickup truck.

Border patrol agents report that they pulled Rodriguez over in a post office parking lot in Big Wells, Texas on Saturday and quizzed him about the passengers in his car. Minutes later the city official hit the gas and tried to escape, but agents caught up with him and arrested him and the three illegals he was with.

According to court documents, Rodriguez admitted that he was hired by the illegals to sneak them across the border and was paid up to $1,900 for the job. The suspect said he was attempting to drive the illegal immigrants to San Antonio.

The councilman took office in 2014 for a term that will end in May of 2016. Crystal City council members are unpaid.

Rodriguez was remanded to a federal detention center and is facing human smuggling charges. He is next due in federal court on Thursday.

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