McAllen - Chief Victor Rodriguez, "illegal aliens rob and victimize our community at will."

Confessions shed light on purported Gulf Cartel carjacking ring in McAllen

McALLEN — Confessions given by suspects arrested in a recent carjacking ring suggest the alleged robbers are targeting luxury vehicles ordered by Gulf Cartel members in Reynosa.

The Monitor obtained copies of the confessions from McAllen police officials this week.

McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez said more arrests are pending in the case, which involves at least two carjackings in McAllen and Mission, and one in Edinburg.

"It’s troubling that again we are dealing with illegal aliens, ones arrested two or three months ago and they are back again," the chief said. "They rob and victimize our community at will."

CARJACKING CONFESSIONS

Fulgencio Buck Gonzalez turned himself in to McAllen police Oct. 19, after he said his wife saw his mugshot on a local TV broadcast.

The 39-year-old Hidalgo resident told investigators his wife showed up at their house with Edgar Quezada Luna on Oct. 14.

Luna asked Gonzalez to drive a Mercedes SUV to Reynosa to deliver it to a Mexican national who could not cross into the U.S., according to Gonzalez’s confession.

Gonzalez said he took the vehicle to Plaza de Las Americas in Reynosa, where he was waved down by an unknown man. After surrendering the vehicle, he walked home. Gonzalez claims he turned down the $100 that Luna offered for his help.

Gonzalez made no mention to police of knowing the vehicle was stolen, although he said he had made similar vehicle deliveries for Luna in the past.

The black Mercedes Benz SUV had been taken at gunpoint the night before at the 1400 block of West Houston Avenue, court records show.

Luna told investigators he was arrested by McAllen police in August and deported to Mexico. Claiming to have contacts within the Gulf Cartel, the 20-year-old Luna acknowledged that he returned to the U.S. illegally earlier this month.

Luna said he had been working at an area used car lot, buying used vehicles at auction. The night of the carjacking, he told police a man he knows said the Gulf Cartel had kidnapped his brother because of money he owed for drugs.

"He told me the cartel was asking for some vehicles and that I needed to help him or my brother was going to be killed," Luna said in the confession.

Luna’s contact picked him up from a south McAllen motel "to go for a ride," his confession states.

The pair rode around downtown McAllen, until they found the black Mercedes Benz heading south on 17th Street. They followed the SUV onto Houston Avenue, where Luna said they passed it and stopped in the middle of the street.

Luna told investigators he hopped out and tapped on the Mercedes’ window with a plastic toy gun. A woman and two male passengers were inside.

"I told her to get out," Luna told police. "She opened the door and I put the gun to her stomach and told her once again to get out of the vehicle."

The two men got out, as well. Luna got into the Mercedes, but did not know how to shift it into drive. One of his associates came to help him, Luna said, before taking the SUV to his house in Hidalgo.

Luna offered a similar confession to an August carjacking of a white BMW sport utility vehicle in McAllen, as well. Luna said the Gulf Cartel also ordered that vehicle and that Gonzalez delivered it to Reynosa.

Police arrested Luna after Gonzalez identified him to investigators.

‘NOBODY SEEMS TO CARE’

Rodriguez, the McAllen chief, said the apparent cartel order to take vehicles from the drivers with force is "one way that they will end up with an unblemished vehicle." Most high-end vehicles have enhanced security features that make them more difficult to steal without the keys.

"That is a dangerous trend which is made very troublesome that, by their own admission, they are acting by order of the cartels,’ he said. "We are fortunate these robberies have not led to greater violence or death at this point."

Still, the chief pointed to nine hours that passed from when the Mercedes was stolen at gunpoint and when it actually crossed the Hidalgo-Reynosa International Bridge.

The chief criticized state and federal authorities’ lack of response to the problem of stolen vehicles heading into Mexico — as many as 80 percent of autos stolen head south of the border, he said — adding that "nobody seems to care."

"We have no deterrence at our points of exit," Rodriguez said. "They are expressways to Mexico. And no one seems to listen or care — not state officials, not federal officials.

"Not listening is tolerable. But not caring is bothersome."

U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials did not respond to a formal request for comment this week.

A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said in an e-mail that the agency "agrees that more emphasis needs to be placed on southbound inspections."

"The Port of Entry crossings are under the control of Customs and Border Protection, Office of Field Operations, and local law enforcement agencies can assist our federal partners when invited," the statement reads.

DPS also pointed to overtime grants given through Operation Border Star, which can be used for southbound vehicle inspections by local law enforcement.

Rodriguez, for his part, said he believes state officials feel the U.S.-Mexico border is in Falfurrias, not here.

"Their view of the border plan is in Falfurrias," the chief said. "I’m sorry, but the border is 50 miles south of there."

Source - http://www.themonitor.com/news/light-44067-mcallen-ring.html