Couple Smuggling Illegal Aliens Busted By Tucson Sector Border Patrol Agents

Couple Smuggling Illegal Aliens Busted By Tucson Sector Border Patrol Agents

by | Apr 8, 2025 | News

By Matthew Holloway |

Chief Patrol Agent (CPA) of the U.S. Border Patrol Tucson Sector Sean McGoffin posted to social media Thursday detailed the apprehension of a Phoenix couple in Benson, AZ.

According to McGoffin’s account, a Phoenix couple, allegedly on a trip to Bisbee, AZ were stopped by the Arizona Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol in Benson and were found to be transporting three illegal immigrants. Border Patrol working with the AZ DPS took the driver and his girlfriend into custody along with the three illegal immigrants.

In his post McGoffin wrote, “The driver claimed he and his girlfriend were picking up some belongings in Bisbee when the 3 illegal aliens from Mexico asked for a ride.” Reportedly this wasn’t the driver’s first brush with human smuggling however, as McGoffin added, “Apparently, he didn’t learn not to smuggle aliens when he was sent to prison in 2022 for the same crime.”

According to the release, both the driver and his girlfriend are now facing charges under 8 USC 1324 for smuggling illegal aliens and the three illegal aliens will face charges under 8 USC 1182 for Alien Inadmissibility as well as re-entry restrictions under section 212 of immigration law.

McGoffin noted that the incident is under investigation by the Tucson Sector Border Patrol working in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona under U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine. According to USCBP statistics, the Border Patrol has arrested 4,323 Criminal Non-Citizens encountered from Fiscal year 2025 to February, 289 of whom had outstanding warrants or wants, out of a total of 193,164 encounters including both Title 8 Apprehensions and Title 42 Expulsions.

The arrests are just the latest in a series of apprehensions in southern Arizona as previously reported by AZ Free News, that have seen local and state authorities working in conjunction with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Later the same day, McGoffin shared video footage of agents assigned to the Willcox Border Patrol Station interdicting and arresting a human smuggler who was transporting four illegal immigrants into the U.S. including one in the trunk of the car. He wrote, “Luckily, agents where there to thwart the illegal operation potentially saving lives.”

The smuggler will also be charged under 8 USC 1324 and the illegal aliens he was transporting will likewise be charged under 8 USC 1182. Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.

Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.

USBP Tucson Sector Chief Reveals Arrests And Dangers Agents Face

USBP Tucson Sector Chief Reveals Arrests And Dangers Agents Face

by | Apr 10, 2022 | News

By Terri Jo Neff |

As politicians and pundits debate whether the Title 42 public health directive should end May 23 along the southwest border, the men and women of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector continue to risk their lives protecting the country.

That is the message from USBP Tucson Sector Chief John Modlin, who took to Twitter several times last week to demonstrate the efforts by his 3,700 agents and the dangers they face.

In one of his tweets, Modlin celebrated drone technology which led to a smuggling arrest near Douglas.  

And on April 10, Modlin tweeted about an attack on one such agent who was patrolling near the border fence in Cochise County.

Also on April 10, Modlin tweeted about a human smuggling arrest made by his agents from the Sector’s Willcox Station. According to Modlin. USBP agents pulled behind a vehicle near Benson when suddenly the driver pulled into a parking lot and entered a store.

The driver was arrested and seven undocumented non-U.S. citizens were apprehended. A firearm was also seized during the incident, Modlin noted.

USBP agents never know who they will encounter. Such as what happened Saturday when Tucson Sector Border Patrol Tactical Unit (BORTAC) agents near Douglas arrested Antonio Hernandez-Lincona. According to Modlin, Hernandez-Lincona has “several prior convictions of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor” in California.

Modlin also tweeted on April 9 about the seizure of more than 18 pounds of deadly fentanyl at the Interstate 19 checkpoint.

And on April 8, Modlin once again used Twitter to publicize the capture of nine migrants being smuggled in a pickup pulling a horse trailer.

Also last week, more than 50 adult Cuban nationals were encountered by USBP agents near Sasabe. There were also citizens from Guatemala and Nicaragua in the same group, Modlin reported.

Then on April 7, Modlin tweeted about the involvement of his agents in returning a rape suspect to Mexican authorities.

Earlier in the week, Modlin shared information about the arrest of Efrain Guillen-Olivas who faces criminal charges in the U.S. after illegally crossing the border near Naco. 

Guillen-Olivas, a Mexican national, “has an extensive #criminal history, including felony #convictions for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, kidnapping, and sexual assault,” according to Modlin’s April 6 tweet.

Modlin also shared information on his Twitter account about the efforts of one of his agents to provide emergency medical care until a migrant could be airlifted to a hospital.