A Mississippi man has been arrested for smuggling undocumented immigrants from Mexico into the U.S.
The Texas Department of Public Safety announced the arrest on social media, saying the driver was found in Kinney County impersonating a Lowe’s employee and using a “cloned” work truck to transport 17 people who entered the country without citizenship.
“Troopers recovered 17 illegal immigrants (13 males & 4 females) from a hidden compartment inside a cloned Lowe’s work truck in Kinney County,” Lt. Chris Olivarez wrote. “Troopers arrested the driver from Mississippi for human smuggling causing serious body harm.”
According to Olivarez, the individuals found in the truck were “drenched in sweat, suffering from dehydration, and numbness in their legs” as a result of being crammed in a space too small for that many people.
NEW: This morning, @TxDPS @TxDPSSouth Troopers recovered 17 illegal immigrants (13 males & 4 females) from a hidden compartment inside a cloned Lowe’s work truck in Kinney County. Troopers arrested the driver from Mississippi for human smuggling causing serious bodily injury.… pic.twitter.com/4s5bpYIMHT
— Chris Olivarez (@LtChrisOlivarez) August 30, 2024
Medical treatment was provided to the individuals before they were referred to the U.S. Border Patrol.
The name of the driver was released Saturday morning. Megel Cazanna Patterson is charged with smuggling persons with the likelihood of serious bodily injury or death
