Texas National Guard member arrested on human smuggling charge
KINNEY COUNTY — A 26-year-old Texas National Guard member was arrested for alleged human smuggling after a high-speed chase near the border this week.
The Kinney County Sheriff's Office has video of the end of a chase involving Savion Johnson, the guardsman accused of human smuggling.
Investigators say they became suspicious when he turned his car around as he approached a checkpoint. They followed the car and said they watched as a migrant was let out of the vehicle.
Deputies managed to stop the car after spike strips were laid out near Brackettville, about 45 miles from Eagle Pass, where many National Guard members are stationed. A uniform and helmet were found in the car. Authorities were not able to find the migrant.
The Kinney County Sheriff, Brad Coe told CNN that he was told Johnson was on active duty with Operation Lone Star.
Johnson was taken into custody by the Texas Department of Public Safety. DPS charged Johnson with evading arrest, smuggling of persons and unlawful carry of a weapon, DPS spokesperson Lt. Chris Olivarez said in a statement to CNN.
Johnson's arrest is at least the third time in the past three years that a U.S. service member was charged with smuggling migrants.
The state has taken over a park near the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass. Governor Greg Abbott has said crews are already working on a military base in the area to house 1,800 National Guard troops near the border. The first phase of construction was expected to be done by mid-April.