U.S. Army soldier accused of smuggling undocumented immigrants

By Lisa Maria Garza (Reuters) - A U.S. Army soldier has been accused of smuggling two undocumented immigrants across the Texas-Mexico border while in uniform, according to a federal criminal complaint. Eric Alexander Rodriguez, 20, a private in the Army, was charged with felony "bringing in and harboring certain aliens" on Friday in United States District Court Southern District of Texas, according to court records. Rodriguez is accused of hiding two undocumented immigrants in his pickup truck on Thursday as he crossed into the United States at the Sarita, Texas, checkpoint, about 180 miles south of San Antonio. U.S. Border Patrol agents found the immigrants hiding on the floorboard behind the front seat, covered with a bed sheet and a military jacket with Rodriguez's name tag, court records said. Rodriguez was wearing his military uniform during the incident, the complaint said. Prosecutors said one of the immigrants told authorities he paid $3,000 to be smuggled into the United States and Rodriguez was the driver who picked them up and transported them farther north. Rodriguez is being held in Cameron County jail. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted. He is based at Fort Hood, according to the Army.