A San Antonio man has fallen into police custody, accused of orchestrating a sophisticated scam that preyed on the hopes of would-be food truck entrepreneurs. According to Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, 57-year-old Miguel Angel Cuellar Lopez, along with his son, 32-year-old Miguel Angel Cuellar Martinez, allegedly bilked victims out of nearly $200,000. Lopez has been charged, among other things, with two counts of theft ranging from $2,500-$30,000, state jail felonies, and one count of theft of $30,000-$150,000, a third-degree felony, KSAT reports.
The duo operated Tu Trailita, a company that purported to help build and design custom food trailers. They would reel in customers with the promise of manufacturing these mobile eateries, only to perpetually delay delivery, continually extort more money, and ultimately, never deliver the promised goods. The younger Cuellar remains at large and is believed to be in Mexico. "I don’t know if these people ever actually built a single trailer, I think they were in the business of ripping people off," Salazar said at a press conference.
The accomplice and son, Miguel Angel Cuellar Martinez Jr., is still on the run and facing identical charges, as mentioned by FOX San Antonio. Sheriff Salazar is urging any additional victims to boldly step forward and ensure that justice can be comprehensively served.
These crimes were especially heinous since they often targeted immigrants, some of whom were undocumented and hesitated to come forward for fear of legal repercussions. But Sheriff Salazar reassured them, stating, "These are people not looking for a hand-out... They’re looking to make a living through hard work,” according to statements obtained by KSAT. Furthermore, the crime was initially brought to the attention of the authorities by LULAC, a venerable Latino civil rights organization.
Former customers and victims are encouraged to report their experiences to the Bexar Sheriff's Office by calling (210) 335-6000.
