Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrests 4 on human smuggling, organized crime charges

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Published  September 14, 2025 4:35pm CDT
FOX 7 Austin

The Brief

    • Four individuals have been arrested and charged with human smuggling and organized criminal activity in Bexar County, Texas.
    • The arrests followed a police investigation that observed the transfer of people from a semi-truck to two other vehicles at a truck stop.
    • Four migrants from Mexico and Guatemala were recovered, and one was taken to the hospital for a leg injury.

BEXAR COUNTY, Texas - Deputies with the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office arrested four individuals on charges of smuggling of persons and engaging in organized criminal activity following an investigation into an illegal human smuggling operation on September 12, 2025.

What we know:

At approximately 10:30 p.m., members of the gang unit, K9 unit, and the Human Exploitation and Intelligence Unit observed a suspected smuggling operation taking place at the Love’s Truck Stop located in the 11300 block of S IH-35 Frontage Road. Deputies witnessed what appeared to be the transfer of individuals from a semi-truck into two separate vehicles. Deputies from the Gang Unit conducted traffic stops on both vehicles, leading to the recovery of four undocumented migrants. 

Further investigation led to the arrest of the semi-truck driver, who was taken into custody without incident. As a precaution, deputies requested EMS assistance. One migrant was subsequently transported to a local hospital for treatment of a leg injury.

Dig deeper:

The migrants were identified as originating from Mexico and Guatemala. Four individuals were arrested and charged:

  • 29-year-old Chelsea Taylor Ann Bravo was charged with three counts of human smuggling, as well as engaging in organized criminal activity.
  • 23-year-old Julian Mike Garza was charged with three counts of human smuggling, as well as engaging in organized criminal activity. Garza was also in violation of a protective order upon arrest.
  • 36-year-old Steven Eduardo Martinez Escamilla Bravo was charged with one count of human smuggling, as well as engaging in organized criminal activity and an immigration violation for illegal re-entry. Bravo is on an immigration hold.
  • 64-year-old Ormond Andrea Tolbert Bravo was charged with four counts of human smuggling, as well as engaging in organized criminal activity.

What's next:

All suspects were transported and booked into the Bexar County Adult Detention Center for their charges.

The Source: Information in this article was provided by a social media post from Bexar County Sheriff's Office.

Crime and Public SafetyBexar CountyImmigration