EAGLE PASS, Texas — Federal law enforcement officials arrested an Eagle Pass, Texas, police detective on charges related to her alleged participation in a conspiracy to harbor migrants. FBI agents executed search and arrest warrants at the home of the detective.
The police detective, 51-year-old Hazel “Sandra” Eileen Diaz, is one of three defendants named in the criminal indictment in connection with the harboring of illegal immigrants in the small border city, a prepared statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office revealed.
An FBI MRAP vehicle used in the raid on the Detective Diaz’s residence. (Breitbart Texas/Randy Clark)
Breitbart Texas was present as a special operations unit from the San Antonio Federal Bureau of Investigations carried out the arrest. Streets surrounding the residence were blocked off by Texas Department of Safety Highway Patrol Troopers while FBI agents made arrests and conducted the search operation.
Prosecutors charged Diaz in a superseding indictment accusing her of conspiring to harbor illegal immigrants.
The case began in August when federal authorities raided multiple homes in Eagle Pass that were allegedly being used as human smuggling stash houses. The houses reportedly belonged to Detective Diaz, the local newspaper, Eagle Pass News-Leader reported. During those raids, authorities arrested two individuals. The Eagle Pass Police Department suspended Diaz a short time later.
Federal prosecutors revealed that the two individuals arrested in those raids were Tomas Alejandro Mendez, 26, and Paola Nikole Cazares, 20. Both Mendez and Cazares, who have been in custody since their August arrest, are also named in the indictment against Diaz
As Breitbart Texas reported, Eagle Pass has become one of the busiest human smuggling corridors into Texas from Mexico. Cartel-connected human smuggling organizations have been able to profit vastly during the ongoing border crisis.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Ashley C. Hoff and FBI Special Agent in Charge Christopher Combs made the announcement. The FBI, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations, is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen Kam is prosecuting the case. Detective Diaz is expected to appear in federal court in Del Rio, Texas, on Wednesday for an initial hearing before United States Magistrate Judge Collis White.
Eagle Pass is currently experiencing a surge in migrant crossings and is located within the Border Patrol’s Del Rio Sector. The sector reports the second-highest level of illegal border crossings on the southwest border. As reported by Breitbart Texas, residents of the community are growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of a federal response to the border crisis.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Prior to 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 Twitter @RandyClarkBBTX.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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