Mexican national indicted in deaths of 2 smuggled aliens in southeast Texas

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A grand jury returned an indictment Friday charging a Mexican national with conspiracy to transport illegal aliens and eight counts of transporting an illegal alien, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.

U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the investigation with assistance from the U.S. Border Patrol (BP).

The nine-count indictment against Amurabi Medina-Cruz, 21, was returned Dec. 17. He will have his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge B. Janice Ellington at 9:30 a.m. Dec. 19, at which time the government expects to request his continued detention pending further criminal proceedings.

According to court records, on the morning of Dec. 3, BP agents learned that individuals had been observed coming out of the brush and getting into a green Chevy Tahoe on Highway 285. BP agents soon located a vehicle matching the description and initiated a traffic stop. The Chevy Tahoe initially moved to the shoulder and appeared as if it was going to stop, then allegedly accelerated away from agents. The criminal complaint alleges that as the Chevy Tahoe fled the scene, subsequently rolling off the road into an embankment. 

At the scene of the accident, BP agents found Medina-Cruz, along with eight other illegal aliens. As a result of the accident, court records indicate that a Guatemalan national was found deceased and trapped under the vehicle. Another victim, a Mexican national, was also pronounced dead, according to the complaint.

Medina-Cruz was arrested at the scene. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison on each charge as well as a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin R. Martin, Southern District of Texas, is prosecuting the case.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence. A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.