A federal judge has denied bond for a man who led Border Patrol agents on an illegal immigrant chase and allegedly tried to lie about his car being stolen.
Pablo Villalobos appeared before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge Felix Recio in Brownsville on human smuggling charges on Wednesday morning.
Judge Recio denied bond for the 46-year-old Houston man until a Friday morning hearing.
Court records show that Villalobos lead Border Patrol agents on a chase from La Feria to San Benito where he abandoned his Toyota Tercel late last week.
Villalobos allegedly went to the San Benito Police Department and tried to report that his car had been stolen at a gas station.
Surveillance footage from the gas station showed him there with illegal immigrants detained near where the car had been abandoned.
San Benito police have also charged Villalobos with file a false report to a peace officer.
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