Affidavit: Mexican trucker charged in connection to semi trailer thefts at EP area truck stops
Deputies and detectives with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office investigating reports of stolen semi-trailers in the Horizon City area arrested and charged a 52-year-old Mexican man.
On Friday, August 17, 2018, deputies arrested Antonio Baltierrez Madriles at a gas station located on the 6700 block of Gateway Blvd East. Baltierrez was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility and charged with “Theft of Property over $2,500 and under $30,000.”
On July 16, 2018, deputies began investigating the theft of a semi trailer at the Flying J Truck Stop at 1301 Horizon Blvd in Far East El Paso County. A GPS tracker in the stolen semi indicated the cargo vehicle was in Mexico. On July 25, 2018, investigators learned the semi-trailer was crossed into Mexico at the Bridge of the Americas. Investigators obtained surveillance images of the semi truck transporting the stolen semi-trailer into Mexico.
Court documents state investigators researched the registration information for the semi truck seen in the surveillance footage and linked it to a company in Mexico. The criminal complaint against Baltierrez states, “the company and the truck tractors have been linked to multiple thefts of semi trailers crossed into Mexico.” Investigators learned Baltierrez was “one of the drivers for the company,” the court document states.
ABC-7 is not identifying the company or its owner because the owner has not been charged with a crime.
Baltierrez was allegedly identified as entering the U.S. from Mexico the day of the trailer theft, then seen driving the same tractor trailer hauling the stolen semi-trailer back into Mexico, the complaint affidavit states.
On August 16, 2018, detectives conducted surveillance on the owner of the trucking company after he entered the US from Mexico at the Bridge of the Americas. Detectives observed the company’s owner traveling in and around the Flying J truck stop on the 1300 block of Horizon. The same detectives followed the owner to the 6700 block of Gateway East, where he was allegedly seen approaching a parked semi trailer bearing Tennessee registration U703048, court documents state. The owner of the company then left the parking lot and traveled to other truck stops in the Anthony, Texas area.
On August 17, 2018, detectives conducting surveillance on Baltierrez spotted Baltierrez driving a semi truck with Chihuahua registration 96EM5R, the same semi truck linked to several other semi trailer thefts in the El Paso area, the document states.
That same day, detectives allegedly spotted Baltierrez connecting the semi truck with Chihuahua registration 96EM5R to the semi trailer with Tennessee registration U703048. Baltierrez allegedly drove away with the stolen semi trailer and was pulled over and taken into custody by undercover deputies.
Under interrogation, Baltierrez allegedly told detectives he stopped at the truck stop on the 6700 block of Gateway East to purchase fuel for his semi truck. While there, Baltierrez said, a man approached him and asked if he would take the semi trailer with Tennessee registration U703048 to another location for $30.
When detectives told Baltierrez the undercover deputies did not observe him speaking with anyone at the truck stop, Baltierrez allegedly changed his story and said the $30 offer was made to him at the Bridge of the Americas. Court documents state undercover investigators did not see Baltierrez speaking with anyone at the port of entry.
Baltierrez was allegedly at the truck stop in Anthony for about four minutes before he was seen connecting the stolen semi trailer to his semi truck, court documents state. The estimated value of the stolen semi trailer is $25,000, court documents state.
