WICHITA COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — Wichita County deputies arrested a man for alleged human smuggling.
According to the arrest report, on Friday, September 23, 2022, around 6:55 a.m., a Wichita County Deputy saw a white Buick SUV driving east on U.S 287 and F.M 1739 and conducted a traffic stop because the license plate was not illuminated.
The deputy identified five people including the driver, Mario Dominguez-Osorio. While talking to Dominguez-Osorio the deputy noticed he was acting nervous and overreacting.
He told the deputy they had been working in Amarillo since Monday. He said they finished a job there and were driving back to Dallas where they all live together.
The passengers’ stories, according to the report, “were all over the place.” One said they were in Amarillo for two weeks and another said they had been working there for a few years.
They also said they live with Dominguez-Osorio, in Dallas, but did not know his name or where in Dallas they lived.
While talking to Dominguez-Osorio a second time, Dominguez-Osorio said he picked up his passengers at a Love’s gas station in Amarillo and was driving them to an unknown gas station in Dallas.
He said he left Dallas the day before and drove to Amarillo to pick up the passengers. He said he would have been paid $200 per passenger transported.
Mario Dominguez-Osorio was arrested and charged with Smuggling of Persons. His bond was set at $100,000. He was also being held on an ICE Detainer without bond.
Wichita County has seen an increase in human smugglers this year. Wichita County Sheriff David Duke said the increase is because of cuts in the Board Patrol. All four passengers were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.