EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – A man is facing federal charges for allegedly trying to smuggle ammunition to Mexico in his pants and a bag of Mission Tortillas.
A U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer watching the southbound pedestrian lanes of the San Luis, Arizona, port of entry observed a man walking towards Mexico who suddenly stopped and “appeared to be adjusting his pants,” according to documents filed Monday in federal court.
As the man approached the CBP officer, he patted the front of his pants and pulled his shirt as far as it would go. Records show the officer told him to stop and asked if he had anything to declare before leaving the United States; the individual later identified as Bryant Mitchell Pilgrim responded, “I don’t have anything illegal on me.”
Records show Pilgrim then turned around and began walking away from the border; the CBP officer called for backup and told the man to stop and place his hands against a chain-link fence.
Border officers took Pilgrim into custody and searched him at the port of entry. The April 19 search yielded more than 100 rounds of 9mm ammunition in his clothing and a plastic tortilla bag, according to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona.
Homeland Security Investigation agents later attempted to question Pilgrim and search his cellphone, but they noticed the unit had been locked and “remote wiped,” erasing all data.
A few hours later on April 19, CBP officers documented the entry from Mexico of a man identified as Pilgrim’s brother. They told him of his brother’s arrest and asked if he knew about the ammo, records show.
The brother denied any knowledge or involvement and was allowed to return to re-enter the U.S. Pilgrim himself declined to talk to investigators. He is being held on charges of smuggling goods from the United States, a federal offense punishable with up to 10 years in prison.
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