Texas gang members sentenced for human smuggling after high-speed border chases

Two South Texas gang members have been sentenced for human smuggling following a series of high-speed chases at the margin that involved one of the gang members crashing his car into the Rio Grande and swimming to Mexico to escape A Monday declaration by U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE reported the two human operators Juan Miguel Regalado and Samuel Grajeda Jr are members of Puro Tango Blast a local Texas gang The two were sentenced on May after being convicted of conspiracy to carriage undocumented immigrants following an examination by ICE U S Boundary Patrol Laredo Sector and the Texas Department of Society Safety U S District Judge John Kazen imposed a -month sentence for Regalado while Grajeda previously received a -month imprisonment as well as a consecutive six months for violating the terms of his supervised release for a previous alien transporting conviction Both must also serve three years of supervised release Both men admitted to involvement in the human smuggling conspiracy PROGRESSIVE PROSECUTOR LETS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TEEN OFF EASY AFTER -MPH CRASH THAT KILLED -YEAR-OLD WOMANAccording to the ICE declaration the study began April when a group of suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe in a sector of the confines just north of Laredo Texas The message stated that Regalado was driving and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase during which multiple individuals jumped out of the motorcycle CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGEDriving up to miles per hour Regalado crashed the Tahoe into the Rio Grande and then proceeded to escape by swimming across the river to Mexico Agents continued to monitor the area over the next several months In November another group of illegal aliens entered a white Ford Taurus parked in the area Agents followed the bicycle until another wagon a black Mercedes cut them off ICE mentioned that the two vehicles were driven by Grajeda and Regalado DEM'S IMMIGRATION RESTRUCTURING PLAN ADDS PERIMETER PATROL AGENTS OFFERS SELECT MOVERS PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIPA traffic stop of the Ford Taurus led to another conveyance pursuit in which Grajeda crashed into a bystander s automobile Law enforcement eventually discovered the Ford Taurus abandoned in a north Laredo neighborhood Government then unveiled four illegal aliens and Grajeda and Regalado within the vicinity of the abandoned conveyance Both gang members are currently in custody Craig Larrabee ICE Homeland Assurance Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge commented that these sentences reflect the serious consequences awaiting those who engage in human smuggling and endanger citizens safety Larrabee announced that Tango Blast gang members put countless lives at jeopardy during these reckless pursuits and that through strong collaboration with our federal and state law enforcement partners we remain committed to dismantling violent criminal organizations and protecting our communities