13 indicted, accused of transporting stolen vehicles to Mexican cartels

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- Thirteen people face federal charges in El Paso for allegedly transporting stolen vehicles from the U.S. to Mexico, U.S Attorney Justin Simmons announced Monday.

Monday, Simmons hosted a press conference at the U.S. Attorney's Office in El Paso to announce the charges. Officials from Homeland Security Investigations, the FBI and other federal agencies attended. Together, the agencies united as part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF).

The HSTF started this spring after federal agencies and prosecutors noticed a trend of stolen private and rental vehicles allegedly being transported to criminal organizations in Mexico, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.

Prosecutors said the stolen vehicles were driven to El Paso and delivered across the border to Mexico.

The U.S. Attorney's Office said the investigation led to the recovery of 29 vehicles, valued at $1,137,000.

During the investigation, authorities indicted two U.S. citizens: Kimberly Aguilar and Marty Gerardo Jr. Both are in state custody, officials said.

Eleven others have been federally indicted and arrested 11 others, nine who are U.S. citizens:

• David Monarrez
• Cesar David Diaz
• Sinuhe Baltizar Lopez
• Christopher Rene Reyes
• Angel Antonio Flores
• Aaron Fernando Luna-Evans
• Amy Foote
• James Dewey Garrett
• Hilario Abraham Morales

The remaining two are Mexican citizens, according to officials:

• Pablo Frias
• Pilar Bernabeth Mendez Rivas

Watch a recording of the HSTF's press conference in El Paso above.