Overview

• Alexander Jose Barrios, a Venezuelan national, was pulled over on Highway 85 after Border Patrol agents noted erratic driving; he faces a federal charge of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens.
• Texas resident Derek Riojas was intercepted on Interstate 35 following suspicious driving; he is charged with transporting illegal aliens.
• In both incidents migrants fled into nearby brush and were apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol agents, who determined they were unlawfully present in the United States.
• Both defendants have appeared in federal court, remain in custody and face maximum penalties of up to 10 years in prison under U.S. sentencing guidelines.
• These prosecutions are part of Operation Take Back America, a coordinated DOJ initiative that leverages Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces and Project Safe Neighborhoods to disrupt transnational smuggling networks at the U.S.–Mexico border.