A San Benito teen is out on band and released to the custody of his parents after leading authorities on a chase from La Gloria and into Brooks County.
U.S. Border Patrol agents arrested 18-year-old Richard Ratliff III under human smuggling charges on Tuesday.
Court document filed in his show he had seven illegal immigrants from Mexico and Guatemala locked underneath his truckbed cover.
Ratliff allegedly led authorities on a chase from the rural Starr County community of La Gloria to an area near the intersection of FM 755 and County Road 313 in Brooks County.
The 18-year-old told investigators that he was approached by a man in parking lot of the Wal-Mart in San Benito.
The man allegedly offered $1,875 dollars to pick up some immigrants in Mission and take them to La Gloria in Starr County.
Ratliff told investigators and picked up the immigrants off Iowa Road in Mission.
Everything went fine until a Starr County Sheriff’s Deputy tried pulling him over for a traffic violation in La Gloria.
The immigrants bailed out of the truck and the San Benito teen allegedly responded by taking off and leading authorities on a chase.
Ratliff told investigators that he didn’t know what was going on and just drove off.
Court records show that the San Benito teen called his parents on his cell phone to say he “messed up” and apologize.
Once he pulled over, Ratliff got out of the truck and laid face down on the ground putting his hands behind his back.
Detained immigrants Jose David Lopez-Agustin and Consepcion Lopez-Gonzalez told Border Patrol agents that it was hot inside the back of Ratliff’s truck.
The truckbed cover was closed and only had a two-inch gap to let air in to breathe.
The two immigrants said they were sweating and afraid they were going to suffocate.
Court records show that Ratliff appeared before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Peter Ormsby in McAllen on Thursday.
Judge Ormsby gave Ratliff a $30,000 dollar unsecured bond.
Court records show Judge Ormsby signed order for Ratliff’s released to the custody of his father on Thursday.
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