A Mexican national is facing charges from the federal government for allegedly attempting to bribe a U.S. Border Patrol agent after being apprehended for illegally re-entering the United States.
Court records indicate that on February 8, 2025, 29-year-old Samuel Mendoza-Torres was arrested alongside another individual near the Santa Teresa Border Patrol Station. It is reported that Mendoza-Torres inquired of the agent, “Can we resolve this?” and offered $400 in an attempt to secure his release while being transported to the station.
During an interview following his arrest, Mendoza-Torres confessed to assisting illegal immigrants in crossing into the U.S. from Mexico. He acknowledged that he was aware it was illegal to offer money to the Border Patrol agent.
Mendoza-Torres will remain in custody until his trial, which has yet to be scheduled. If convicted of the charges against him, Mendoza-Torres could face a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, as stated in a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
As of today, this information was provided by U.S. Attorney Alexander M.M. Uballez, Raul Bujanda, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Albuquerque Field Office, and Chief Patrol Agent Walter “Neil” Slosar of the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector.
The U.S. Border Patrol and the Las Cruces Resident Agency of the Federal Bureau of Investigation are currently investigating this case.
Recently, the Trump administration has been active with significant arrests.
In a separate case, a man from Katy, Texas, received an 18-month prison sentence from a federal court in Del Rio for one count of assaulting, resisting, or obstructing police officers or employees.
“According to court documents, Kevin Dominguez, 26, approached the U.S. Border Patrol immigration checkpoint on U.S. Highway 57 in a sedan on August 1, 2023. A USBP canine alerted the agents to the trunk, where an individual was discovered. When the USBP agent noticed the person inside, Dominguez reversed his vehicle, striking the agent before fleeing the checkpoint,” the FBI disclosed in a press release.
A high-speed pursuit took place, during which a USBP helicopter observed two individuals exit the vehicle and enter an open field. One of these individuals was located and identified as an undocumented noncitizen from Honduras. Dominguez was indicted on a two-count indictment on September 13, 2023, and was apprehended on September 14. He entered a guilty plea on January 24, 2024,” the press release stated.
In a separate announcement, the FBI reported that four individuals were arrested in El Paso, Texas, on criminal charges connected to their alleged involvement in a scheme to smuggle people across the border.
According to official court records, agents from the Ysleta Border Patrol Station’s Disrupt Unit were monitoring a motel in El Paso when they observed a vehicle with a temporary license plate. This vehicle had previously been spotted at several hotels known to accommodate undocumented immigrants. Court documents indicate that the driver briefly entered the motel lobby before returning to the vehicle and departing.
Shortly thereafter, the agents reportedly witnessed three individuals carefully exiting one of the motel rooms and entering a different car with a temporary license plate. Yair Alejandro Aguilar-Flores, the driver, allegedly confessed to being from Mexico and residing in the U.S. illegally.
Angel Eduardo Carrillo-Carrillo and Jorge Alfredo Lopez-Acevedo, the two individuals accompanying him, were also arrested for being in the U.S. unlawfully. They admitted that additional undocumented immigrants were present in the motel room.
Upon further investigation, the agents discovered seven more undocumented immigrants, all of whom were arrested. As the police concluded their investigation, they observed the driver of the initial vehicle returning to the motel. He approached the room where the migrants were being held and knocked on the door.
Jesus David Reyes-Villagran reportedly informed the police that the motel room belonged to him and that he had just returned from dropping off five other undocumented individuals at a different hotel in El Paso.
Aguilar-Flores, Carrillo-Carrillo, Lopez-Acevedo, and Reyes-Villagran are tasked with the responsibility of transporting aliens and facilitating their movement. If convicted, each of them could face a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
A federal district court judge will utilize the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines along with other legal considerations to determine the appropriate sentence.
Additionally, federal authorities apprehended a Honduran national who had previously been deported and convicted of crimes before being taken into federal custody in Austin on charges related to his alleged unlawful re-entry.
Court documents indicate that Melvin Armando Funes-Canales was located in the Williamson County jail around July 16, 2024.
He was detained due to suspicions of possessing a controlled substance. Upon investigation, it was revealed that Funes-Canales had been deported back to Honduras from the U.S. around October 9, 2020, and had previously been sent back on five separate occasions.
Funes-Canales has a history of convictions for burglary, grand theft, and illegal re-entry.
The accusation against Funes-Canales pertains to illegal re-entry. If found guilty, Funes-Canales could face a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
