Undocumented immigrant smuggler
February 23, 2011 11:24 PM
THE BROWNSVILLE HERALD

A 17-year-old man was apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents Tuesday evening and accused of smuggling six undocumented immigrants across the border, three miles east of Veterans International Bridge.

Edgar Gutierrez was arrested by a Cameron County sheriff’s deputy and booked into the county jail Wednesday morning, after being held by the Border Patrol. Bail was set at $10,000 for each of the six counts of unlawful transport.

According to an affidavit filed in the case, a Border Patrol agent encountered Gutierrez and six other undocumented immigrants near the intersection of Palacio Real Drive and Milpa Verde Road at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. All seven people were arrested for being in the U.S. illegally, according to the affidavit.

Gutierrez told officers he was paid $100 per person to lead the group to the north side of the border, the affidavit said.

Man charged with child endangerment

After receiving a call about a toddler wandering in the parking lot at Peter Piper Pizza on the 1600 block of Central Boulevard, police arrested 23-year-old David Garcia Tuesday evening and later charged him with abandoning and endangering a child.

Police said two people reported seeing the child, a girl, walking alone in the parking lot. One of them told police he went to buy clothes for her; she was described as having no shoes and torn, dirty clothing.

The girl, who police said was 1 year old, was not injured, and authorities found Garcia inside the restaurant.

According to officials, he acknowledged he was the adult in charge of the girl’s care at the moment but said he was unaware the child was not with him.

The police report did not specify Garcia’s relationship to the girl.

Bail was set at $5,000. Child Protective Services was contacted, police said.

Alleged identity theft leads to arrest

A Tennessee woman’s complaint led to the arrest Friday of 51-year-old Gloria Banda on charges of fraudulent use of identifying information.

Police said the Tennessee woman suspected a person in Brownsville had been using her identity for about 30 years.

Banda was arrested at her house on the 1900 block of West Madison Street. Bail was set at $5,000.

Police look for theft suspect

Police are looking for a woman who they say stole $2,500 under the guise of helping another woman finance a home.

An arrest warrant for theft has been issued for 41-year-old Ninfa Noemi Atkinson, also known as Noemi Perez. The amount of money involved makes the crime a felony, police said.

Authorities said the warrant was issued after a 37-year-old woman filed a complaint stating that she had given Atkinson the money in November to help her finance a house but Atkinson failed to deliver on her promise. The victim became suspicious, police said, when discrepancies arose regarding information Atkinson provided.

Anyone with information regarding Atkinson is asked to contact Brownsville Police at (956) 548-7000 or Crime Stoppers at (956) 546-8477.

Briefs compiled by Brownsville Herald reporter Jacqueline Armendariz.

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