An off-duty Bexar County detention deputy is facing serious trouble after U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped him at a checkpoint Thursday night and reported finding an undocumented immigrant in his vehicle, according to authorities. The stop has triggered both a federal criminal investigation and an internal review that could end his county career.
The Bexar County Sheriff's Office said the encounter happened June 5 at about 7 p.m., when agents detained Detention Deputy Carlos Favela on suspicion of alien smuggling, the sheriff's office told News4SanAntonio. Sheriff Javier Salazar told the outlet, "Of course, we have to let due process run its course, but my intention is to separate this person from the agency as soon as possible." He added bluntly, "He will never wear this uniform again."
According to BCSO, Favela, who has worked for the sheriff's office for two years, will receive a notice of proposed dismissal and be placed on unpaid administrative leave while termination moves forward. U.S. Customs and Border Protection is running the criminal investigation, while the sheriff's office conducts a separate internal probe, News4SanAntonio reported. Authorities have not released where the checkpoint was located or whether federal charges have been formally filed.
Federal charges and penalties
Federal prosecutors can pursue alien smuggling charges under 8 U.S.C. § 1324, which makes it a crime to bring, transport, harbor, or encourage an undocumented person to enter or remain in the United States. Penalties vary by subsection and circumstances, ranging from fines and prison terms of up to 10 years for many violations to 20 years or more if serious bodily injury or death occurs, as outlined by Cornell LII.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Texas has recently filed dozens of immigration and smuggling cases, including human smuggling indictments tied to checkpoint and stash house investigations, as part of a broader enforcement push in the region, the Justice Department reported this week. Those prosecutions show how routine checkpoint stops can quickly turn into federal criminal cases when agents develop evidence of smuggling.
What happens next
U.S. Customs and Border Protection's criminal investigation will determine whether the case is referred to federal prosecutors. If that happens and charges are pursued, the U.S. Attorney's Office would decide whether to file a criminal complaint or seek an indictment. CBP describes its enforcement role and its coordination with partner agencies on its public website.
The sheriff's office has made clear it intends to remove Favela from county employment while those investigations play out. Additional details, including any federal charging documents or court filings, were not publicly available at the time of the initial report.
