Isn’t one of the Aztec gods named “Chutzpah”?

16 November 2007

Good plan, poor planning…

(Amanda Harris, Valley Morning Star, Harlingen, TX)

Two more Willacy County immigration detention center officers, both from Harlingen, are facing charges in connection with transporting illegal immigrants, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Tuesday.

…

The four men worked as detention officers for the Utah-based Management Training Corp., which provides security services for the Willacy County Detention Center in Raymondville, according to the release.

Officials allege that Treviño recruited Vasquez, Garcia and Sanchez to pick up and transport immigrants who were smuggled into the country through locations near Harlingen past the Sarita checkpoint using MTC company vehicles, according to the news release.

The 28 illegal immigrants who were transported Thursday were not being held at the Willacy County Detention Center, Angela Dodge, a public affairs specialist with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said.

The illegal immigrants had been picked up at various locations, including a canal and a soccer field, the release states.

Garcia and Sanchez were wearing MTC uniforms and officials found a loaded .357 magnum pistol in the center console of the van when they attempted to drive the MTC F-450 van past the checkpoint Thursday, according to the release.

Customs and Border Protection agents at the checkpoint became suspicious because the van was overcrowded, some passengers were sitting on the vehicle floor, none were shackled and many had luggage, the release states.