SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Two men were arrested near Seguin, Texas, after law enforcement officers discovered the pair was allegedly transporting stolen vehicles concealed in two semi-tractor trailers. The two men, described as Honduran nationals by the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s office, were found in possession of six stolen vehicles valued at more than $470,000.
According to the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s office, the two semi-tractor trailers were intercepted early Monday morning on Interstate 10 just east of San Antonio. The suspect vehicles were stopped by the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office Auto Theft Unit, K-9, and patrol deputies, with assistance provided by the Gonzales County Sheriff’s Office.
According to authorities, an examination of the two semi-truck trailers revealed that six stolen vehicles were being transported inside them. Two Honduran nationals identified as 48-year-old Dany Reneiry Arias-Turcios and 19-year-old Pedro Gabriel Velasquez of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were arrested at the scene. Investigators believe the men driving the stolen loot were headed to Honduras.
Both men were booked into the Guadalupe County Jail on charges of Theft of Property $150-$300K. Each is being held on a $100,000 bond, according to Guadalupe County Jail records obtained by Breitbart Texas.
The investigation into the origin of the stolen vehicles is ongoing, and according to the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s office, additional charges and arrests may follow as the investigation continues.
A request for information from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) regarding the immigration status of Velasquez and Arias-Turcios remains unanswered as of press time. Even if the pair is legally present in the United States, a conviction for a crime involving possession of stolen property of more than $10,000 can carry stiff immigration consequences under U.S. Immigration Law.
Under Section 101 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, a theft offense (including receipt of stolen property) is considered an aggravated felony if the term of imprisonment is one year or more. If convicted of the offense, a lawfully admitted permanent resident alien would be removable from the United States, subject to mandatory detention, and permanently barred from reentry once removed. The INA allows very few avenues for relief from removal for those in this predicament.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
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