Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Texas Congressman Seeks Investigation To Why A Fugitive From Mexico Was Released By State Department

Hector Javier Villarreal Hernández

A congressional oversight committee probe is sought by Texas congressman and a U.S. Senate investigation is requested into Mexican fugitive release by feds.

By H. Nelson Goodson
February 15, 2012

Dallas, Texas - Mexican fugitive Hector Javier Villarreal Hernández, 41, is being sought after the feds released him from custody in early February. Villareal Hernández, a Coahuila former secretary of Tax Administration Service is wanted in Mexico after posting $1 million cash bond for alleged charges of corruption and embezzling millions. Villareal Hernández is accused of falsifying loan documents for infrastructure projects and keeping hundreds of millions of dollars geared to help the poverty stricken population in Coahuila.
He then fled to the U.S. to avoid prosecution by applying for a EB-5 visa. Villareal Hernández pretented to invest $500,000 in a business in the country to get a U.S. visa.
Villareal Hernández was travelling through Smith County near Tyler on Highway 31 when the former Mexican official was stopped on February 1st by a Smith County Sheriff deputy for not having a front license on a 2011 Mercedes SUV. The deputy became suspicious after he was given conflicting stories about where they were coming from and asked permission to search the SUV. The deputy found a weapon (shotgun) and $67,000 dollars in cash.
Villareal Hernández, his wife, Maria Teresa Botello, 28, and another man, Oswaldo Coronado, 33, a U.S. citizen were detained. Two of Villareal Hernández children were turned over to social services.
When the weapon's serial number was ran to see, if it was stolen. The ATF, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Department of Home Security (DHS) got involved and showed up at the Smith County jail where Villareal Hernández was booked for suspicion of money laundering. He was then taken by the feds to the DHS office in Dallas for further processing.
Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith later found that Villareal Hernández had been released by the feds just 24 hours after being taken into custody. The State Department ordered DHS to release Villareal Hernández, Botello and Coronado because their visa's hadn't expired. They disappeared after being released.
Texas officials also released the two children to family members. A day later after Villareal Hernández was released, the State Department rescinded the order and issue a warrant for Villareal Hernández arrest. The Mexican government complained to the U.S. when it learned Villareal Hernández had been set free by the State Department.
Villareal Hernández hired a lawyer and is scheduled for a hearing on the laundering charges in Smith County. Texas officials believe Villareal Hernández won't show up for the hearing, since a warrant has been issued for his arrest.
Feds are looking into properties that Villareal Hernández owns near Eagle Pass, San Antonio and Brownsville. The U.S. Marshals Service has also been asked to join in the search for Villareal Hernández.
Now, U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R) of Texas is requesting an investigation into ICE, DHS and State Department's release of Villareal Hernández. Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert (R) from Tyler is also filing civil action in a district court and is launching a Congressional oversight committee probe to find out answers, to why Villareal Hernández was ordered released by the State Department and why was a visa given to a wanted man in Mexico? Gohmert is accusing the State Department of being incompetent regarding Villareal Hernández case.
According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Gohmert said, "The State Department said the couple came into the country on a valid visa, so we have to let them stay until the visa expires. They should have been deported. When you have a criminal from a foreign country you pick them up and hold them until the treaties with the other country can be satisfied and they can be transferred to that country on a warrant. The last thing you do is release them back into the country."

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