Criminal Complaint — United States v. Diego Flores (7:23-cr-01250, Southern District of Texas), Document 14
Summary
A sealed criminal complaint, Document 14, filed on 09/06/23, Case 7:23-cr-01250, Case No. 7:23-MJ-01540, in the Southern District of Texas, naming Diego Flores as defendant. It lists transporting aliens from Mission, Texas, to Falfurrias, Texas, by motor vehicle under 8 U.S.C. 1324. The complainant is Ruben Mendoza, United States Border Patrol Agent. Attachment A states that on August 29, 2023, thirty-six (36) undocumented noncitizens were discovered inside wooden crates at the Falfurrias, Texas USBP Checkpoint. It states that material witnesses Carlos Martinez-Diaz, Elvin Diaz-Lianez and Ever Lopez-Garcia each identified Diego FLORES as in charge, and that Martinez-Diaz stated paying approximately $16,500 USD to get smuggled into the United States.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Criminal Complaint — United States v. Diego Flores (7:23-cr-01250, Southern District of Texas), Document 14.”
Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/court-filing-no-7-23-cr-01250-dkt-14-29ff279419/
, SHA-256 3bb531b106d3511f7a969da6dfb889e27fdc45d1beb155bc39971e0e756c7723.Full text
Case 7:23-cr-01250 Document 14 Filed on 09/06/23 in TXSD Page 1 of 4
AO 91 (Rev, l l/11) Criminal Complaint SEALED United States Courts Southern
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT District of Texas
for the
FILED
Southern District of Texas
August 31, 2023
United States of America ) Nathan Ochsner, Clerk of Court
v. )
) Case No. 7:23-MJ-01540
Diego Flores / USA 1995
)
Defendant(s)
CRIMINAL COMPLAINT
I, the complainant in this case, state that the following is true to the best of my knowledge and belief.
On or about the date(s) of August 29, 2023 in the county of Hidalgo in the
Southern District of Texas , the defendant(s) violated:
Code Section Offense Description
8 U.S.C. 1324(a)(1)(A)(ii), 1324(a) Transporting aliens from a location in Mission, Texas, to a location in
(1 )(A)(v)(I), and 1324(a)(1 )(A)(V)(II) Falfurrias, Texas, by means of a motor vehicle
This criminal complaint is based on these facts:
See Attachment A
if Continued on the attached sheet.
;{!u6.ue,~a,
Ruben Mendoil
Complainant's signature
Ruben Mendoza / United States Border Patrol Agent
Printed name and title
Submitted by reliable electronic means, sworn to and
attested telephonically per FED.R.CR.4. l, and probable
cause found on:
Date: August 31, 2023 at 9:02 AM
City and state: McAllen, Texas
Case 7:23-cr-01250 Document 14 Filed on 09/06/23 in TXSD Page 2 of 4
ATTACHMENT A
I, Ruben Mendoza, am a United States Border Patrol Agent and have
knowledge of the following facts:
1. On August 29, 2023, United States Border Patrol Agents encountered
a 1 on 36 alien smuggling case at the Falfurrias, Texas USBP
Checkpoint.
2. Earlier that week, Agents had conducted surveillance at a
previously identified human smuggling stash house located in
Mission, Texas, and observed a flat-bed trailer with wooden crates
being moved on the property.
I
3. On August 29, 2023, at approximately 5:00 a.m., Agents observed a
white Dodge Ram depart the property of the stash house in Mission,
Texas.. The Dodge Ram was towing a flat-bed trailer loaded with
wooden crates.
4. The Dodge Ram was observed stopping at a nearby gas station where
it met with a grey Dodge Ram. The occupants were observed
transferring the flat-bed trailer to the grey Dodge Ram. The grey
Dodge Ram was now towing the flat-bed trailer.
5. The grey Dodge Ram was followed to the Falfurrias, Texas USBP
Checkpoint. At the Checkpoint, thirty-six (36) undocumented
noncitizens were discovered inside the wooden crates with no means
of escape.
Case 7:23-cr-01250 Document 14 Filed on 09/06/23 in TXSD Page 3 of 4
6. The driver of the truck provided a post Miranda statement regarding
the morning's events. He stated he was a "hot shot" driver who
picked up the load earlier that morning from an individual he has
done business with on previous occasions. A "hot shot" driver is
a driver who transports machinery or goods using his own vehicle
and/or trailer from one place to another. He claimed no knowledge
of the persons who were inside the crates and claimed he was told
they were loaded with pressure release valves. According to him,
this was a legitimate "hot shot" load. The driver positively
identified as the individual who delivered the flat-
bed trailer to him earlier that morning.
7. Material witness Carlos Martinez-Diaz, a citizen and national of
El Salvador and a noncitizen of the United States, provided a post
Miranda Statement. Martinez-Diaz stated paid approximately $16,500
USD to get smuggled into the United States. Martinez-Diaz
described the ranch he was being harbored at as being in poor
condition with no running water or electricity. He positively
identified Diego FLORES as the "Boss" of the smuggling operations.
He stated Diego FLORES arrived several days earlier and told them
he was in charge of everything. He stated Diego FLORES threatened
Case 7:23-cr-01250 Document 14 Filed on 09/06/23 in TXSD Page 4 of 4
them and instructed them not to leave the house. Martinez
positively identified as one of the drivers for the
smuggling organization. Martinez positively identified Antonio
CUEVAS-Lozano as the caretaker at the ranch and stated CUEVAS-
Lozano had transported him to the ranch several days earlier.
8. Material Witness Elvin Diaz-Lianez, a citizen and national of
Honduras and a noncitizen of the United States, provided a post
Miranda Statement. Diaz-Lianez stated he paid approximately $17,000
USO to get smuggled into the United States. Diaz-Lianez described
the ranch he was being harbored at and stated there was no running
water or electricity. He positively identified as a
forklift operator who loaded the wooden crates onto the trailer
several days earlier. Diaz positively Diego FLORES as the person
in charge of the operation. Diaz stated Diego FLORES arrived
several days earlier and introduced himself to everyone as "El
Jefe" ("The Boss"). Diaz positively identified
as the person who closed the wooden crates once they entered them.
Diaz positively identified Antonio CUEVAS-Lozano as the caretaker.
and as the person who transported him to the ranch several days
earlier. He also stated CUEVAS-Lozano would feed them at the ranch.
9. Material Witness Ever Lopez-Garcia, a citizen and national of El
Salvador and a noncitizen of the United States, provided a post
Miranda Statement. Lopez-Garcia stated he paid approximately $9,000
USO to get smuggled into the United States. Lopez-Garcia stated
after crossing illegally into the United States, he was taken to a
ranch where he stayed for several days. Lopez-Garcia positively
identified Diego FLORES as one of the smugglers. He stated Diego
FLORES told them he was in charge. Lopez-Garcia positively
identified Antonio CUEVAS-Lozano as the caretaker.
File and source
- File
- 14.pdf
- Size
- 206,190 bytes
- SHA-256
- 3bb531b106d3511f7a969da6dfb889e27fdc45d1beb155bc39971e0e756c7723
- Our copy
- 14.pdf
- Original
- No public link identified.