Cartel scout smuggled 1,000 immigrants in Arizona

A man arrested in Arizona last month claims he helped smuggle about 1,000 undocumented immigrants into the U.S. over the past year. Edgar Armanda Vargas-de la Rocha, who was wearing camouflage and carrying binoculars, was taken into custody by Border Patrol agents in the mountains near Phoenix. Vargas-de la Rocha told officials that he worked as a scout for a Mexican cartel. He admitted to earning around $10,000 by reporting on the activities and locations of border patrol agents. His arrest occurred as authorities investigated a problem with federal equipment in the area. Sean McGoffin, the chief patrol agent for the Tucson sector, stated that removing smugglers' scouts makes it safer for both agents and communities on both sides of the border. During the arrest, officers found communication devices in Vargas-de la Rocha’s backpack. Court records show that Vargas-de la Rocha continued his smuggling activities even after federal crackdowns began. He helped transport groups of undocumented immigrants from the border to Phoenix. He recently signed a plea agreement related to a conspiracy charge and could face up to 10 years in prison. His hearing is set for Thursday in federal court. In addition to Vargas-de la Rocha, other suspected cartel scouts were also arrested, and several will face charges for human smuggling.