A former soldier based at what was once known as Fort Hood has been slapped with a 33-month sentence for playing a role in smuggling undocumented immigrants, in a plan that appears to be as misguided as it was ill-fated. Enrique Jauregui, 26, was convicted of aiding and abetting the transportation of illegal aliens for financial gain, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas.
In a detailed account of the events leading up to the capture, court documents outline how Jauregui initiated the operation by enlisting fellow soldiers Angel Palma and Emilio Mendoza Lopez, who were both 21 and 22 at the time, they were to retrieve the undocumented immigrants provided by Jauregui and, after transport, he intended to reward them for their trouble but instead their plans went awry. On November 27, 2024, after collecting three individuals from Presidio, Texas, Palma and Mendoza Lopez led U.S. Border Patrol on a high-speed chase, which resulted in injuring an agent when their vehicle collided with his, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The chase ended with the defendants abandoning their vehicle and attempting to flee on foot, a maneuver that ultimately proved futile as all involved parties were apprehended. Palma temporarily evaded capture but was discovered at an Odessa hotel. In the legal proceedings that followed, all three men pleaded guilty earlier this year, with Palma and Mendoza Lopez each receiving a 24-month sentence in May of 2025, and Jauregui later facing a heftier punishment due to his role as the organizer of the event, as well as a $10,000 fine, as stated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“These three individuals turned their backs on their values in a way that put our nation at risk, and put at risk the lives of others, including the lives of law enforcement officers,” expressed U.S. Attorney Justin Simmons, in what seems a stern rebuke of the soldiers' actions, which did more than simply flout the law; they endangered lives and jeopardized trust and now the former soldiers face the consequences of those actions including federal prison time and supervised release following their incarceration. Special Agent in Charge Jason T. Stevens from Homeland Security Investigations El Paso emphasized the gravity of the betrayal by saying, “Recruiting fellow soldiers to participate in illegal activities, culminating in a reckless high-speed chase with law enforcement, is a blatant betrayal of duty and public trust," as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The case is part of a broader crackdown known as Operation Take Back America, aiming to reinforce immigration laws, dismantle cartels, and safeguard communities against violent crime. The crackdown brings to bear resources from the Department of Justice, including the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN), further highlighting the concerted effort put toward national security and law enforcement integrity, as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
