Two active duty U.S. Marines were arrested last week by a San Diego Border Patrol official after attempting to smuggle three illegal aliens into the United States.
Marines Bryon Darnell Law II and David Javier Salazar-Quintero were apprehended around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, July 3, driving on Interstate 8 in Jacumba Hot Springs, just seven miles north of the California-Mexico border.
According to court documents filed last Friday in the U.S District Court for the Southern District of California, the three captured men admitted to authorities that they were Mexicans in the country illegally. A San Diego Sector Border Patrol agent observed a black car picking the men up on the side of the road and pulled the car over after reports from other suspicious agents patrolling the area. The agents identified Law as the driver, Salazar-Quintero in the passenger seat and the three illegal aliens in the back seat.
Upon being captured, Law informed the investigating agent that he and Salazar-Quintero are active duty Marines assigned to Camp Pendleton in California. Law blamed Salazar-Quintero for organizing the alleged smuggling event, according to a criminal complaint provided to Breitbart.
Two of the three immigrants said they planned to fork over $8,000 to get into the US. They said they expected to settle somewhere in Los Angeles and New Jersey. (RELATED: Mexico Overwhelmed As It Takes On More Illegal Immigrants)
In addition, the Marines reportedly drove another migrant to a McDonald’s parking lot in Del Mar last Tuesday at 10:30 pm, where he was picked up by somebody else.
Law admitted that Salazar-Quintero promised him $1,000 for the pick-up over a cellphone, but never compensated him. Despite not getting paid for the pick-up, Law said he agreed to pick up more illegal immigrants last Wednesday after he was promised compensation for both jobs.
Despite this claim, Salazar-Quintero argued that it was Law who introduced him to the criminal act in the first place. He admitted to being in Jacumba Hot Springs on four different occasions for illegal migrant pick-ups, including last Tuesday and Wednesday. He disputed Law’s explanation of the pick-ups, asserting that Law returned without picking up anyone in the first job, while the second time Law was promised, but never given, $500 for smuggling a man.
Salazar-Quintero also claimed that Law took him to a recruiter, who first drove the black transport vehicle that they were later caught driving.
Camp Pendleton released an official statement to the Daily Caller, saying, “We are aware of the charges facing Lance Cpl. Law and Lance Cpl. Salazar-Quintero, and we continue to cooperate fully with the investigative efforts into this matter.”
Law and Salazar-Quintero are both Lance Cpl. Riflemen, serving in the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment and 1st Marine Division. They were both awarded the National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
The U.S Department of Defense did not respond for a request to comment.