Texas Man Found with Pipe Bombs, Guns, Three Illegal Aliens near Border
A Corpus Christi man is charged with transporting illegal aliens after being arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Port Mansfield, Texas, on October 6. Agents arrested 28-year-old Alec Ray Foss after stopping a speedboat-type vessel he was piloting with three illegal aliens, an AR-style rifle, a pistol, and four pipe bombs on board.
According to a criminal complaint filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, Border Patrol agents responded to the docks in Port Mansfield after receiving a tip from the Port Mansfield Police Department concerning three people boarding a speedboat-style vessel after exiting a vehicle nearby. Authorities saw the vessel leave the docks and travel north on the Intracoastal Waterway.
Court documents indicate a law enforcement aircraft observed the vessel 20 miles south of Corpus Christi. Border Patrol agents recognized the vessel as one Foss previously operated through an ongoing investigation. Within hours of receiving the first information about the suspected smuggling event, agents located the suspicious vessel at Bluff Landing.
Border Patrol agents approached Foss as he attempted to load the boat onto a trailer and leave the landing. According to the criminal complaint, as agents approached, Foss unlatched the vehicle from the trailer, boarded the vessel, and attempted to start the engine. Agents intervened, ordering Foss not to start the vessel and to disembark. Foss complied and was detained.
After being advised of his rights and agreeing to answer questions, Foss told agents there were three people on board. During a search, agents found three male subjects, later found to be illegally present in the United States, concealed inside the cabin area and an under-seat compartment. Border Patrol agents also located a handgun inside a bag, an AR-style rifle with a loaded drum magazine inserted into the weapon, and four suspected pipe bombs during the search.
According to court documents, Foss told authorities he expected to be paid $3,000 in cash for each illegal alien he transported once he delivered them to Houston, Texas. The three passengers found on the vessel with Foss were determined to be two citizens of Ecuador and one Guatemalan national illegally present in the United States.
According to a detention memo submitted to the court, Foss is not new to transporting illegal aliens. In 2023, authorities say Foss was arrested by deputies from the Zapata County Sheriff’s Department after being encountered during a vehicle stop in South Texas. At the time, Foss was driving a vehicle with three illegal aliens concealed behind the seat and in the trunk area of the vehicle. According to the United States Attorney’s Office, it ultimately dropped the charges in that case.
In addition to the criminal case against Foss for transporting illegal aliens, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is investigating the pipe bombs located onboard the vessel.
As part of that investigation, ATF executed a search warrant at Foss’s residence on October 8. During the search, five firearms, 3,500 rounds of ammunition, and various materials used to construct pipe bombs were located and confiscated.
If found guilty of transporting illegal aliens with life endangerment, Foss faces up to 20 years in prison.
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