FALFURRIAS, TX - A criminal complaint obtained by MyRGV states that a truck driver was arrested at the Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias after agents discovered a false wall inside the trailer he was hauling. Behind that wall agents found 36 people.
The suspect, Louis Dante Anthony, a U.S. citizen, has been charged with knowingly and with reckless disregard of attempting to transport people illegally present in the country further into the United States. The incident happened at approximately 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, December 8th when agents encountered Anthony who was driving a white single-cab box truck.
According to the complaint, Anthony was exhibiting suspicious behavior by refusing to lower his window fully and speaking in a manner that made it difficult for agents to hear him clearly over the truck's engine. The complaint said, "Anthony also displayed signs of nervousness, including fidgeting with his hands and avoiding eye contact."
When asked where he was coming from, Anthony reportedly said that he was coming from "Edington" and added that he was hauling some furniture. Anthony consented to an X-ray inspection, which revealed several anomalies in the cargo area. Those X-rays prompted further inspection by the agents.
The complaint said, "Upon moving the furniture, a false wall was discovered inside the truck, sealing a compartment measuring approximately 51 inches by 97 inches. The compartment was sealed with screws from the outside, leaving no means of escape for those inside."
The complaint also said that the compartment inside was "extremely hot" with 36 people inside who were "sweating profusely." The people inside the compartment admitted to being in the United States illegally. The complaint said that two large household appliances were also blocking the exit.
In an interview with authorities, Anthony said that he arrived in "Edington" around 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7th, slept in his truck overnight and claimed that the purpose of his trip was to pick up furniture for upholstery services from a woman whose name he couldn't provide.
The complaint said, "When asked about the people found inside the truck, Anthony initially claimed he did not know how they ended up there. He later changed his story, admitting that he picked them up from a Home Depot store, opened the back of the truck to let them in, and then closed the door."
Anthony also reportedly confessed to using a computer in order to create fraudulent temporary Texas license plates. Several of the people found concealed behind the false wall stated that they feared for their life when behind the wall due to it being sealed. On Tuesday, December 10th, Anthony made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchell Neurock in Corpus Christi.
The suspect, Louis Dante Anthony, a U.S. citizen, has been charged with knowingly and with reckless disregard of attempting to transport people illegally present in the country further into the United States. The incident happened at approximately 7:25 a.m. on Sunday, December 8th when agents encountered Anthony who was driving a white single-cab box truck.
According to the complaint, Anthony was exhibiting suspicious behavior by refusing to lower his window fully and speaking in a manner that made it difficult for agents to hear him clearly over the truck's engine. The complaint said, "Anthony also displayed signs of nervousness, including fidgeting with his hands and avoiding eye contact."
When asked where he was coming from, Anthony reportedly said that he was coming from "Edington" and added that he was hauling some furniture. Anthony consented to an X-ray inspection, which revealed several anomalies in the cargo area. Those X-rays prompted further inspection by the agents.
The complaint said, "Upon moving the furniture, a false wall was discovered inside the truck, sealing a compartment measuring approximately 51 inches by 97 inches. The compartment was sealed with screws from the outside, leaving no means of escape for those inside."
The complaint also said that the compartment inside was "extremely hot" with 36 people inside who were "sweating profusely." The people inside the compartment admitted to being in the United States illegally. The complaint said that two large household appliances were also blocking the exit.
In an interview with authorities, Anthony said that he arrived in "Edington" around 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 7th, slept in his truck overnight and claimed that the purpose of his trip was to pick up furniture for upholstery services from a woman whose name he couldn't provide.
The complaint said, "When asked about the people found inside the truck, Anthony initially claimed he did not know how they ended up there. He later changed his story, admitting that he picked them up from a Home Depot store, opened the back of the truck to let them in, and then closed the door."
Anthony also reportedly confessed to using a computer in order to create fraudulent temporary Texas license plates. Several of the people found concealed behind the false wall stated that they feared for their life when behind the wall due to it being sealed. On Tuesday, December 10th, Anthony made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mitchell Neurock in Corpus Christi.
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