Stolen cars funnelled through El Paso to Mexican cartels: 13 charged, 29 vehicles recovered
Thirteen people have been charged over allegedly transporting stolen vehicles from the United States through El Paso, Texas, across the border into Mexico for cartels. Federal authorities say the vehicles were sent to be used in the cartels' day-to-day criminal operations.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas said the vehicles were stolen from private owners and major rental car companies. They were then driven through El Paso and across the border into Mexico.
Authorities have recovered 29 stolen vehicles worth an estimated $1.14 million as part of the investigation, dubbed Operation Southbound Takedown, prosecutors said.
Federal and local law enforcement officials announced the charges at a press conference in El Paso on 26 October.
Ryan G. McRae, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in El Paso, said these are not isolated property crimes. He said the recovered stolen vehicles are used to support the day-to-day operations of dangerous criminal organizations and demonstrate an alarming pattern.
Photos released by prosecutors showed a damaged white SUV recovered in Mexico, as well as an armored black SUV and an armored pickup truck.
The U.S. attorney's office said federal agents and prosecutors began investigating in the spring after identifying a pattern of stolen vehicles being transported to individuals allegedly connected to criminal organizations in Mexico.
U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons warned that cartels are exploiting individuals looking to make a quick buck. He said the cartels' operations include human smuggling, extortion, drug trafficking and even murder, and that anyone who transports stolen vehicles out of the country to support cartels, many designated as foreign terrorist organizations, will be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Prosecutors said that of the 13 people charged, 11 are U.S. citizens and two are Mexican citizens. One of the Mexican citizens has a lawful permanent resident card, while the other has a border crossing card.
Two of the Americans, Kimberly Aguilar and Marty Gerardo Jr., are in state custody. The other 11 people were federally indicted and arrested between 22 July and 19 October, according to prosecutors.
All 13 are charged with interstate transportation of stolen property and face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted. Prosecutors noted the charges are allegations, and each person is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and other federal, state and local agencies worked on the investigation through the Homeland Security Task Force. McRae said the work is ongoing. FBI El Paso acting Special Agent in Charge Coult W. Markovsky also warned people helping cartels.
