A truck driver admitted to buying a gun on the street and accepting $3,000 for the transportation of migrants to San Antonio during a border inspection earlier this month. 

Truck driver Jermaine Phillips attempted to cross the border with the contraband at the Interstate 35 checkpoint in Texas on March 23rd at about 5:40 p.m. 

According to Laredo Morning Times, Phillips told agents he was traveling alone and agreed to an x-ray scan of the tractor trailer, which resulted in the discovery of several human silhouettes in the truck cab. Agents inspected the cab and discovered two adults and one juvenile migrant hiding inside.  

When asked about valuables in the cab, Phillips told agents that he had a firearm in the truck, and agents soon discovered a 9mm P80 with a loaded magazine stored inside of a grey suitcase behind the driver’s seat. Additional ammo was also found inside of the truck cab. Agents also discovered two pills inside of a pill bottle that were later determined to be ecstasy. 

Phillps was then arrested and interviewed by agents. During the interview, Phillips told investigators that a person he knew had offered him $3,000 to transport the migrants to San Antonio, Texas, who he picked up in Laredo. Phillips states that he had hidden the juvenile inside of a closet in the cab to pass a previous checkpoint. Phillips also told agents that he had purchased the gun on the street approximately 6 months ago for $250.

Phillips was charged with transport, attempt to transport and conspire to transport migrants.