Fort Hood Soldier Remains Jailed In Mexico

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(May 9, 2008)—A Fort Hood soldier remains in jail in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, after he says he mistakenly drove across the Mexican border with firearms in his car.

Spc. Richard Torres was carrying a small arsenal in his car including an AR-15 assault rifle, a .45-caliber handgun, 171 rounds of ammunition, several cartridges and three knives.

He didn't try to hide the weapons when he reached a Mexican border checkpoint, but he insisted he hadn't meant to cross the border with the guns, which in Mexico are restricted for use only by the military.

Instead, he says he was looking for parking in El Paso when he inadvertently drove onto a bridge leading to Mexico and couldn't turn around.

Juarez is a border city where drug cartels pay top dollar for exactly the kind of high-powered weapons Torres had in his car.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives concluded that Torres wasn't smuggling weapons into Mexico to sell them, but the Iraq war veteran continues to wait for a Mexican judge to decide whether to accept his account.

Mexican prosecutors have said only that the arrest reflects the government's commitment to battling "every type of delinquency and organized crime."

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: Tamar Location: Waco on May 12, 2008 at 10:13 AM
I think they should free him, if you think about it we free Illegals everyday in our country. Now why is Bush not over there fighting to free this soldier. When it was that convict from Mexico who raped and killed those 2 15yr olds he was sticking his neck out then to free him!

Posted by: It can happen Location: Ft. Hood on May 12, 2008 at 10:10 AM
I agree with CM once you are on the bridge there is no turn around, you can tell that just from looking at the picture.

Posted by: Mary Location: Cove on May 12, 2008 at 09:57 AM
I don't know what this guy's real story is, and I'm not defending him, but does anyone find it odd? The Mexicans apparently didn't waste any time slamming this American in prison, but they sure raise a ruckus when it's the other way around.

Posted by: recall Location: mt on May 12, 2008 at 09:24 AM
RECALL! he got pulled over trying to make an illigal U-turn..after asking for directions from a border patrol..(the border patrol had told him to make that turn..not knowing it was illigal)...and if he was trying to "smuggle them into Mexico, then why did he have them all out, in sight??...

Posted by: CM Location: TEXAS on May 12, 2008 at 09:00 AM
Give this guy a break. Have you ever been out there? My grandparents live in El Paso. When we were out there for Thanksgiving, we got lost driving 12 miles "down the road" to Wal-Mart. There are hardly any street signs saying anything. We too ended up in Mexico. The guys right, you don't know it until you come up on it. And There are NO turnarounds. I feel sorry for the guy. He was just at the wrong place, at the wrong time. And about him having weapons, come on. He's in the military. It's not uncommon these soldiers on duty or off to carry weapons.

Posted by: Madmax Location: Killeen on May 12, 2008 at 06:39 AM
It is very hard to believe that he "Accidentally" drove into Mexico. I could understand if he could not read or was elderly, but he is an American Soldier who should have no problems comprehending information. I would think that his family would have commented by now and backed his claim if indeed he was going to California to supposidly drop the guns off...

Posted by: Ashley Location: Temple on May 11, 2008 at 02:12 PM
Sounds like something I would do... Minus the guns. He didn't try to hide them. If he was trying to "smuggle" them would he really leave them in plain view? I say give him the benefit of the doubt...

Posted by: William Location: Killeen on May 11, 2008 at 01:55 PM
I recall reading that he was on his way to California, sounds fishy to me, they have some strict rules on weapons in that state, and the sounds of it, the weapons and magazines were possibly loaded which is a big No-No there. He got caught trying to either get some money for the weapons or planned on picking up some cartel goodies to return to the US. Let him stay there for a while and then the US Government can deal with him when he is released in a few years for his stupidity.

Posted by: susie bw Location: kempner on May 9, 2008 at 04:14 PM
I feel sorry for him, but that was really a dumb thing to do. Why did he have all the guns in the car anyhow, if he wasn't up to something?

Posted by: Kay Location: Chilton on May 9, 2008 at 02:52 PM
Leave him there if he is that stupid. Also I understand the Mexican Jails are a lot worse that the luxury prisons we have here. If he is lucky he may have a drink of water.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 9, 2008 at 02:12 PM
What was he thinkin you should give him another chance.

Posted by: Justme Location: I dont buy his story on May 9, 2008 at 10:33 AM
How do you "mistakenly" drive across a bridge into another country with weapons? I dont buy his story! I guess 1000's of illegal aliens "mistakenly"cross the Rio Grande into the USA! *NOT!*

Posted by: Lauren Location: Coolidge on May 9, 2008 at 10:18 AM
Let him out

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