PECOS A Department of Justice press release detailed a Dallas man pleaded guilty on Tuesday to transporting undocumented noncitizens and assaulting a federal officer.
According to court documents, Jose Alejandro Crecencio, 21, was parked in a Chevy Tahoe at the Big Bend National Park Visitor’s Center when a Border Patrol agent attempted to make contact with him.
Crecencio sped away from the area and a short time later, six individuals were observed by the Border Patrol agent and a Park Ranger exiting the stopped Tahoe and absconding into the nearby brush, the press release stated.
Court documents detailed Crecencio sped away again with the Border Patrol agent in pursuit. A little while later, Crecencio made a U-turn and drove directly toward the agent’s vehicle, forcing the agent off the roadway.
Later he stopped the Tahoe and absconded on foot, the press release stated. Shortly thereafter, Border Patrol agents were able to take Crecencio into custody.
Other Border Patrol agents in the area were able to detain two of the six individuals who absconded from the Tahoe. Both individuals were identified as undocumented noncitizens.
Crecencio pleaded guilty to one count of transporting an illegal alien and one count of forcibly assaulting a federal officer. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 29 and faces up to five years in prison on the transporting charge and up to 20 years in prison on the assault charge.
A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Ashley C. Hoff of the Western District of Texas and Homeland Security Investigations Acting Special Agent in Charge Taekuk Cho made the announcement. HSI is investigating the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Lance L. Kennedy is prosecuting the case.
