Army Soldiers Nabbed in Alien Smuggling Scheme

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – Two U.S. Army soldiers traded their oaths for opportunity, admitting today to participating in a brazen human smuggling operation through a heavily guarded border checkpoint. Marco Antonio Nava Jr., 19, and Joseph Edmond Cleveland, 25, both of El Paso, pleaded guilty to a charge that could land them in federal prison for up to a decade.

The pair confessed to transporting two undocumented immigrants through the U.S. Border Patrol (BP) checkpoint in Falfurrias, Texas. According to court documents, Nava and Cleveland were offered a quick $1,500 to drive the aliens further into the country. Greed, it seems, outweighed any sense of duty.

On June 19, 2016, the soldiers approached the checkpoint with the two illegal aliens crammed into the rear passenger seats of their vehicle. A sharp BP agent immediately detected a problem, questioning one of the passengers about their legal status. The passenger had no documentation. A deeper investigation confirmed both were unlawfully present in the United States and were immediately taken into custody.

The smuggled individuals revealed a harrowing journey, detailing how they’d crossed the border eight days prior and had been shuttled between multiple trailer homes, awaiting transport to Houston. They stated a contact at the last trailer home directed them to get into Nava’s vehicle, where they were explicitly coached on how to answer questions at the upcoming immigration checkpoint – a pathetic attempt to deceive federal officers.

U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson and Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) announced the guilty pleas, highlighting the ongoing battle against border crime. Nava and Cleveland, despite being active duty military, willingly participated in a scheme that exploits vulnerable individuals and undermines national security.

Both Nava and Cleveland remain free on bond, but their freedom is temporary. Sentencing is scheduled for February 9, 2017. If convicted, they each face a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey S. Miller, and the investigation was conducted by HSI agents. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those sworn to uphold the law are not immune to the lure of easy money.