Crime victims coordinator of Texas, Bernice Garza has been arrested along with two others for smuggling migrants to Houston in a county-licensed car. She worked in the 229th Judicial District Attorney’s Office but was immediately terminated from her post after her involvement in human smuggling accusations.
There were four migrants in the vehicle who were being smuggled into the state illegally. The investigation was chiefly executed by the office of Gocha Allen Ramirez, Starr County District Lawyer.
Why did Bernice Garza got arrested in Texas?
Bernice Garza who worked as a crime victims liaison in the 229th Judicial District Attorney’s Office got arrested on the charges of her association with a human smuggling case in a government-owned car. It was a 2015 Chevrolet Traverse that had the symbol of the District Attorney’s Office of Starr County.
Sources state that the investigation has been carried out by the Starr County District Attorney’s Office in collaboration with Texas Rangers and Homeland Security Investigations. Along with Garza, Magali Rosa and Juan Antonio Charles were also arrested who worked at the same place. It is suspected that three of them allegedly used the county-issued car to import the migrants unlawfully.
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How the migrants were smuggled into Texas?
The incident took place on 7th December at around 12:20 p.m. when the Chevrolet Traverse was stopped and investigated. Five people were identified in the car including Magali Rosa in the driver seat. Garza, Rosa, and Charles were accused of the human smuggling case and charged accordingly.
As per the reports, Charles has been also charged with possession of weapons. Bernice Garza has been fired from her post as crime victims coordinator at the Starr County District Attorney’s Office. The four migrants have been detained by the Texas border police.
