Texas man, 38, charged after officers find 84 illegal immigrants being smuggled in dump truck
Robert Flores Jr. traveled on Texas ranch road to avoid US border checkpoint, officials say
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A 38-year-old Texas man is facing dozens of charges after officials say they captured him trying to smuggle 84 illegal immigrants across the U.S. border in the cargo area of a dump truck.
Robert Flores Jr., of Poteet, was taken into custody Tuesday morning following a commercial motor vehicle inspection along Interstate Highway 35 in Cotulla, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.
"Through further investigation, Flores traveled through a private ranch road circumventing the United States Border Patrol checkpoint in Webb County," the Texas DPS said in a statement.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"During the stop, numerous individuals absconded from the truck's cargo area into the brush," the statement added. "The trooper discovered 84 illegal immigrants concealed inside the cargo area."
TEXAS AUTHORITIES BUST DRIVER CARRYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ACROSS US BORDER
Robert Flores Jr., the driver who has been taken into custody in Texas. (Texas Department of Public Safety)
Flores Jr. has since been charged with 84 counts of smuggling of persons.
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Illegal immigrants in a single file line after driver is busted by DPS officers. (Credit: @LtChrisOlivarez / Twitter)
The migrants in the truck were from Guatemala and Mexico and have been turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol, the Texas DPS says.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is seen halting a human smuggling attempt on I-35. (Lieutenant Chris Olivarez/ Spokesperson with the Texas Department of Public Safety)
Images from the scene show dozens of migrants, all young males, climbing out of the back of the dump truck following the stop.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Fox News’ Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.