Cartels recruiting Army soldiers and National Guard for human smuggling

Branden Broadhead, 23, says he joined the military to help pay for school after struggling with his studies during COVID.Show more

“I was like, you know, I’ve always heard that the military (or) the Army will pay for your tuition, so I enlisted,” Broadhead said.

He said he had good intentions when he took an oath to protect and serve, inspired, in part, by his grandma.

“She always told me growing up (to) join,” he said.

But then a friend connected him with a low-level cartel member, who promised him $5,000 in cash if he smuggled migrants who had crossed the southern border into Texas. He says his mom was sick and unable to work, so he said yes.

Broadhead headed to Eagle Pass from Austin, where he picked up two migrants from Mexico — a woman and a man who said they were cousins. He made it to rural Kinney County but was surprised by a pop-up tactical Border Patrol checkpoint.

He turned around, which alerted law enforcement.

“I’m realizing I had a great life,” Broadhead said. “Huge mistake.”

Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe said it’s a situation anybody might be lured toward.