Smuggling arrest made over holiday weekend

A California man was arrested for smuggling illegal persons on New Year’s Day in Milam County.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Bryan Washko, a DPS trooper was working routine traffic patrol on New Year’s Day on US 190 in Buckholts when that trooper observed a Toyota Corolla with a California license plate and a defective license plate lamp. 

After initiating a stop, the driver was identified as Javier Antonio Orozco Lopez. The trooper also encountered a Hispanic male passenger. 

Lopez told the trooper he was on his way to Los Angeles, Calif., and could not identify the male passenger when asked. 

That passenger was later identified as Ismias Eldai Lopez Ramos, who had an identification card from Guatemala. Ramos told investigators he did not have any immigration paperwork and was in America illegally. 

Lopez was then arrested and taken to Milam County Jail on the charge of Smuggling of Persons. He was also found to be in possession of a large amount of US currency.