U.S. Soldier held in Mexico on Weapons charge

[SSN Vet]

American Veteran of Iraq War Being Held in Mexican Prison on Weapons Charges

An American veteran of the Iraq War is being held in a notoriously dangerous prison in Juarez, Mexico, charged with carrying weapons over the border in his car.

Army Spc. Richard Raymond Medina Torres, on leave from his base at Fort Hood, Tex., was arrested in Juarez April 21 when he said he mistakenly crossed the border and found himself on the Mexican side of the Bridge of the Americas.

Medina Torres, 25, told Mexican officials that he intended to park his car in El Paso and walk across the border for breakfast, but got lost on the highway and was forced to cross into Mexico.

According to the El Paso Times, Mexican border police stopped him as he attempted a U-turn, and Medina Torres was arrested when they found an AR-15 rifle and handgun in his trunk. The newspaper said that Medina Torres said he'd bought the guns years before and had all the proper permits. However possession of firearms in Mexico is illegal and strictly controlled.

"It’s a very sticky situation for foreigners to have weapons in Mexico," said a spokesman at the bureau of consular affairs at the State Department. "The laws are stricter and narrower there," he said.


Medina Torres, a helicopter mechanic, said he was on his way to Fresno, Calif., to visit his mother in time for her birthday Thursday. His mother told FOXNews.com that while on route, he wanted to make a pit stop for a Mexican breakfast, but instead got lost. That is when he was arrested, she said.

"It was his very first time," said Gloria Medina. "All he wanted was a good Mexican meal."

He never got his meal, and is now waiting in the infamous Cereso prison, a jail for some of Mexico's most violent drug smugglers, for a Mexican judge to decide his fate.

His mother said, “He told me ‘Mother, all I do is pray and sleep, pray and sleep.’”

Medina Torres was with charged with carrying weapons over the border in his car and an additional and much more serious charge of possession of a military-style weapon, which has since been dropped. If sentenced, Medina Torres could face from 3 to 10 years in prison, according to the El Paso Times.

But his mother said she is hopeful about prospect for his release. "I'm hopeful, I'm optimistic today because the consul [in Juarez] told me that they're optimistic, very positive" about his case.

The American consul in Juarez “has taken a special interest in my son’s case," she told FOXNews.com. "He told me, ‘He’s a fine young man and he’s a good son and a good soldier.'

“I asked him to take of my son (the consulate general) and he said that he would.”

According to the State Department spokesman, the U.S. military normally advocates for American soldiers who have been incarcerated abroad.

"In most cases overseas the military handles their own cases," the spokesman said. "In this case because he was probably on vacation, and by virtue of the fact that he’s incarcerated in Mexico, the consul is working the case."

Medina Torres enlisted in the Army in 2001. He had recently returned from a 15-month tour in Iraq, his mother told FOXNews.com. He also served in Korea, and while in Fresno had planned to request a transfer to Honduras.

“I’m optimistic, praying that the Lord will deliver him from this ordeal,” said Gloria Medina.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,352986,00.html

 

[MASTEROFMALICE]

Perhaps the Mexicans should kick around the idea of putting up a physical barricade between borders.

I'm sure it would make them feel a lot better.

 

[RLsnow]

 

[Phil DeGraves]

"If sentenced, Medina Torres could face from 3 to 10 years in prison, "

Unlike here in NH where they sentenced a bank robber yesterday to 2 years. Hmm. Bank robbery or legal possession of firearms.

 

[Onmilo]

Let me get this straight,,,,,
He was on his way to FRESNO, CALIFORNIA and got lost and crossed into Mexico carrying an AR15, a weapon listed as a big no-no in God's chosen country of California, and a HANDGUN that may, or may not be, on the California banned list.
The AR15 is a definate big boo-boo to be hauling into California.

Heck if the Federales didn't get him CHIPS would have,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Sans Authoritas]

Heck if the Federales didn't get him CHIPS would have

One difference. He could have bribed the Federales to do the right thing.

-Sans Authoritas

 

[Majic]

Was mistakenly in Mexico because he got lost on the highway and was forced to cross the border? He attempted to turn around in Mexico and got caught so I guess we are suppose to assume there was no place to turn around on the US side of the border.

 

[RoadkingLarry]

Owning an AR-15 in california is not nessecarily illegal. Don't know all the details but there are restrictions but not an outright ban.

 

[Ash]

Well, I do know folks who could not turn around and had to cross the Lake Ponchartrain causeway (okay, the first 10 miles of it until they reached a turn-around). I've been forced to take the wrong exit before, and drive 6 miles down interstate to get to an exit to turn around. I won't comment on whether this guy is legit, but I do have a hard time distinguishing comments found here and those expected on VPC's website.

Ash

 

[Majic]

Well, I do know folks who could not turn around and had to cross the Lake Ponchartrain causeway

But the OP was talking about an international border.

 

[Bubbles]

Was mistakenly in Mexico because he got lost on the highway and was forced to cross the border? He attempted to turn around in Mexico and got caught so I guess we are suppose to assume there was no place to turn around on the US side of the border.

From what I've heard from the folks who have lived in that area, the traffic and traffic patterns can force you across the border should you end up in the wrong lane of the highway - and no, there is nowhere to turn around. Heck, I've had it happen to me in NoVA during rushhour.

Knowing what I do now, I'd probably hit the brakes and just refuse to move the car in this guy's situation.

 

[csmkersh]

Those who've been stationed at FT Bliss can tell you all the bridges are clearly marked even at night. Signs warning about transporting firearms OR ammunition are prominent. If he was in route to California on a PCS, he knew darn well he had firearms in the vehicle.​

 

[SSN Vet]

so much for the bean breakfast.....

it will be interesting to see how he fairs, as compared to the pastor who got popped in Russia with one box of rifle ammo in his suit case, which he was bringing to give to a hunting buddy.

3 years in the gulag!

 

[Old Fuff]

This has happened before, and the situation in El Paso, Texas is a bad one. I have faced the same problem while going through Texas and New Mexico to Arizona. If you are not careful, and take the wrong off-ramp, you can be in Mexico in minutes - with little or no warning. We need a system that will make all travelers stop on the U.S. side of the border, and confirm that they really want to proceed on into Mexico before they cross the line.

 

[feets]

You don't "mistakenly" cross the Bridge of the Americas.
It's a huge bridge with all kinds of warning signs, welcome signs, and other stuff.
There's simply no way to "oopsie!" and end up in Mexico.

There's more to the story than what's said. Either he's just that stupid or he was trying to pull some sort of stunt.
Doing a U-turn as soon as you cross the border is a BIG red flag.

 

[GRIZ22]

There's more to the story than what's said.

I agree. There's probably plenty of places to get a Mexican breakfast in El Paso as there is in Nogales, Calexico, Laredo, etc.

 

[csmkersh]

This has happened before, and the situation in El Paso, Texas is a bad one. I have faced the same problem while going through Texas and New Mexico to Arizona. If you are not careful, and take the wrong off-ramp, you can be in Mexico in minutes.

Horse Feathers!

If you're using I-10, other than the 70 mile strip from Esperanza, TX through El Paso to Montoya New Mexico you're no where near the boarder. El Paso itself is the only really close point to the border from I-10. Elsewhere you're at least 5 miles from the border and once again, you're not going to cross by accident.
​

 

[BruceRDucer]

Hey MasterOfMalice

"Perhaps the Mexicans should kick around the idea of putting up a physical barricade between borders."--MasterOfMalice

Exactly. Why don't they do that, and keep the illegals out of the USA, and we will be more than happy to stay here.

 

[Ash]

Majic, I am well aware of the boarder. Not like I'm an idiot or anything. And, I also said that I would not comment on the guy specifically. I can say, though, that the very long bridge with very good signs has a certain point of no return that once you go past it, you are stuck. And by the way, this point is not on the bridge itself.

But, hey, I say he needs to be shot and dumped into the sewers for this desecration of international borders. He must be guilty of the greatest of crimes. He must be, of course, because nobody ever makes a mistake.

Ash

 

[Flame Red]

I feel bad for the guy. I have been distracted while driving and missed signs and gotten lost lots of times. Even on routes I know let alone strange areas. He could have made an innocent mistake - or maybe not.

At least for once the State Department seems willing to help. With all the crapola happening on the border one has to ask which side the current US Administration really represents sometimes.

What does that HC with a circle around it on the sign on the above picture mean?

 

[MarcusWendt]

This kid screwed the pooch no matter how you slice it. My only issue is, do unto others. Let him sneak back across the border for the love of full auto weapons!

I'd love it if we treated them as bad as they treat us.

 

[gym]

So the illegals don't have to take the senic route? They can just bus them over on the highway, no wonder the fence doesn't work, duh

 

[308win]

I believe it denotes the route if you are hauling hazardous cargo.

 

[W.E.G.]

I vote for "just stupid."

 

[yhtomit]

"Was mistakenly in Mexico because he got lost on the highway and was forced to cross the border? He attempted to turn around in Mexico and got caught so I guess we are suppose to assume there was no place to turn around on the US side of the border."

OK, I see feets' picture above, so this may be a moot point. But I will say, I faced a (gun-free) similar situation in Laredo / Nuevo Laredo several years ago (10? 12?) -- I did NOT WANT to cross into Mexico by car, just wanted to walk across. Among other reasons, my passenger was a grad student from Korea, who had some (prescription) medicine with him but not the prescriptions, and though he had his passport, I was uncertain about whether he could cross the border legally or not.

Long story short, got trapped in a line of cars in the course of looking for a turnaround spot, and ... there was none, until it was clear that this was the precise line I did NOT want to be in. Quickly got lost, in Mexico, but it didn't take too long to finally get back.

When I lived in El Paso, I crossed the border only by foot, and am glad.

And even with the photo above, I know I have the ability to miss signs, and have demonstrated this superpower more than once. When there are guns in the car, no doubt I'm more careful, but ... ever been on a highway surrounded by tall 18-wheelers, such that you don't see the signs you wish you had?

timothy