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 limit that involved one of the gang members crashing his car into the Rio Grande and swimming to Mexico to escape A Monday report by U S Immigration and Customs Enforcement ICE explained the two human agents 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 delivery undocumented immigrants following an inspection by ICE U S Margin Patrol Laredo Sector and the Texas Department of Residents 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 comment the scrutiny began April when a group of suspected illegal aliens entered a green Tahoe in a sector of the perimeter just north of Laredo Texas The announcement announced that Regalado was driving and led law enforcement on a high-speed chase during which multiple individuals jumped out of the car 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 Personnel followed the motorcycle until another bus a black Mercedes cut them off ICE declared that the two vehicles were driven by Grajeda and Regalado DEM'S IMMIGRATION REORGANIZATION PLAN ADDS CONFINES PATROL AGENTS OFFERS SELECT MOVERS PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIPA traffic stop of the Ford Taurus led to another van pursuit in which Grajeda crashed into a bystander s carriage Law enforcement eventually discovered the Ford Taurus abandoned in a north Laredo neighborhood Personnel then uncovered four illegal aliens and Grajeda and Regalado within the vicinity of the abandoned carriage Both gang members are at this time in custody Craig Larrabee ICE Homeland Precaution Investigations San Antonio Special Agent in Charge declared that these sentences reflect the serious consequences awaiting those who engage in human smuggling and endanger masses safety Larrabee explained that Tango Blast gang members put countless lives at pitfall 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