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Four Mexican fishermen are facing federal charges for illegally exporting wildlife after being caught with approximately 771 pounds of illegally red snapper after crossing the maritime boundary by approximately seven miles.
The suspects include Matamoros residents Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, born in 1984; Jesus David Luna-Marquez, born in 2005; Jesus Roberto Morales-Amador, born in 1998; and Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, born in 2002.
The U.S. Coast Guard encountered the men at approximately 10:32 a.m. Thursday in a lancha 21 miles east of South Padre Island.
The criminal complaint said the men intended to sell the fish in Mexico, though the complaint doesn’t include any statements from the men aside from Ramirez saying he and his crew were using a “heavy nylon fishing line with 1,200 fishing hooks” and that they didn’t have federal fishing permits.
“The unmarked and unregistered vessel was not flying the flag of any nation and was operating without running lights,” the complaint stated.
The men made a first appearance in Brownsville federal court in front of U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen Betancourt on Friday, court records show.
Betancourt set bond at $25,000 with the conditions that the suspects execute an immigration bond and demonstrate ties to the community.
They were remanded into custody following the hearing.