Zavala County Sheriff’s Son, Eusevio Salinas, III, to plea Guilty to transporting undocumented aliens

By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

Crystal City, Texas resident Eusevio Salinas, III,  age 26, son of Zavala County Sheriff Eusevio Salinas, Jr., announced to United States District Judge Alia Moses at a Court hearing on Tuesday, December 6, 2016, through his attorney, Robert Garza of Del Rio, Texas, that he will plead guilty to the federal criminal charges filed against him of conspiracy to transport undocumented aliens and transporting undocumented aliens.

On July 9, 2016, Dimmit County Sheriff Department Deputies observed a group of suspected undocumented aliens get into an enclosed trailer being towed by a pick-up truck near a highway in Carrizo Springs, Texas.  Dimmit County Sheriff Department pulled over the pick-up truck with the trailer and contacted the United States Border Patrol.

The U. S. Border Patrol and Special Agents with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations arrived with a K-9 dog and the dog alerted to human scent inside the trailer.  Upon opening the trailer, a total of 14 undocumented aliens were discovered inside the trailer being towed by Salinas.  The trailer used by Salinas was property of Zavala County.

According to the Criminal Complaint filed in federal court, Salinas waived his Miranda rights and admitted to agents transporting the 14 undocumented aliens for a person called “Gallo” in San Antonio, Texas and that he was going to get paid $4,200 for the venture and of that money he owed “Gallo” the sum of $1,500 due to a previous debt.

U.S. District Judge Alia Moses scheduled Eusevo Salinas, III, for entry of his guilty plea on Monday, December 26, 2016 in Del Rio, Texas.

Salinas faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine of up to $250,000, a special assessment of $100, and up to three years of community supervision upon release from federal prison.