City of Eagle Pass Municipal Water Plant Employee Arrested for Transporting Undocumented Immigrants
By: Miguel Munoz, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2017
The United States Border Patrol arrested Jose J. Licona-Zuniga, an employee at the City of Eagle Pass Municipal Water Plant, on Wednesday, September 27, 2017, on FM 1021 near Carrizo Springs, Texas transporting two undocumented immigrants to San Antonio, Texas while driving a 2015 Chrysler 200 Sedan.
Licona-Zuniga had a felony initial appearance hearing on Friday, September 29, 2017, before United States Magistrate Judge Collis White of the Western District of Texas, Del Rio Division, in Del Rio, Texas to advise him of the felony criminal charges of transporting undocumented immigrants filed against him by the United States Border Patrol as well as his constitutional and legal rights in the Untied States.
At the felony initial appearance hearing, Licona-Zuniga testified that he was an employee of the “City of Eagle Pass Municipal Water Plant as a maintenance worker” and is a lawful permanent resident who is married and has three children, all United States citizens. According to the testimony at the felony initial appearance hearing, Licona-Zuniga was accompanied by his wife at the time of his arrest.
United States Magistrate Judge Collis White granted Licona-Zuniga to be released on a $30,000 unsecured bond to be signed by his father-in-law as well as have his father-in-law be assigned as his custodian while the case is pending to ensure that he presents himself to all court hearings. Licona-Zuniga was released on bond later that day on September 29th.
According to the criminal complaint, Licona-Zuniga stated to United States Border Patrol Agents that he was going to be paid $1,000 U.S. Dollars for transporting the two undocumented immigrants to San Antonio, Texas. A material witness in the case stated that his father was going to pay an average of $4,000 U.S. Dollars to transport the undocumented immigrants to Houston, Texas.
The City of Eagle Pass Municipal Water Treatment Plant is owned by the City of Eagle Pass Water Works and Sewer System, a governmental entity of the City of Eagle Pass, Texas.
It is unknown if the Eagle Pass Water Works and Sewer System will allow Licona-Zuniga to return to work or be placed on administrative leave pending the conclusion of the federal criminal case against him or be terminated.
If Licona-Zuniga is convicted of transporting undocumented aliens, he faces up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000, three years of community supervision, a $100 assessment, and restitution of any damages. In addition, as a lawful permanent resident he may be subjected to being deported to his home country of Mexico by the United States Department of Homeland Security.
All persons accused of a criminal offense are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Licona-Zuniga was appointed legal counsel to be represented by a Federal Public Defender of the Western District of Texas by United States Magistrate Judge Collis White.
