HUMAN SMUGGLING ON UPPER VALLEY RD - Gonzalo Cuevas-Martinez

August 29, 2023

El Paso, Texas – On August 29th, 2023, at approximately 04:00 a.m., El Paso County Sheriff’s Office Deputies assigned to the Northwest Patrol Station conducted a traffic stop at the 6100 block of Upper Valley Road on a passenger vehicle of grey color due to an improper turn.

The deputies noted the presence of two occupants who displayed signs of heightened anxiety and actively avoided making eye contact. The deputies engaged in separate conversations with the individuals involved, during which they provided contradictory statements regarding their intended destination. The deputies proceeded to conduct a thorough check for any outstanding warrants. Subsequently, they apprehended Gonzalo Cuevas-Martinez, who was found to have an outstanding warrant for Smuggling of Persons with a bond amount of $60,000.00. Additionally, the deputies uncovered that Mr. Cuevas-Martinez possessed a significant record of involvement in smuggling persons. During the investigation, Mr. Cuevas-Martinez confessed to law enforcement officers that he was en route to collect migrants in the desert region of New Mexico. The U.S. Border Patrol Station in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, was duly informed of the intelligence provided by Mr. Cuevas-Martinez, prompting them to initiate their inquiry and potentially extend aid to the migrants in the desert vicinity.