A seventh defendant, who was in the U.S. illegally, has been charged in the death of U.S. Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry. The Department of Justice today announced that a federal grand jury in Tucson has indicted Rosario Rafael Burboa-Alvarez.
The Terry family issued a statement saying, [quote]”While we are grateful another arrest has been made the fact that the suspect was in our country illegally is a sad and in this case deadly reminder that our border is not secure.”[/quote]
Burboa-Alvarez is charged with multiple counts, including first degree murder. He was already in custody on immigration-related charges.
According to prosecutors, Burboa-Alvarez allegedly recruited a crew of robbers to travel from Mexico to the U.S. and prey on other illegal immigrants smuggling drugs into the country. Terry was shot to death when he and his Border Patrol Tactical Team (BORTAC) encountered the group on December 14th, 2010 just north of the border in Arizona. Two assault rifles trafficked in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms gunwalking operation Fast and Furious were used in the shootout.
Today, in a statement, Terry’s mother, Josephine called the latest indictment a step in the right direction and added, [quote]”If I had to give a report card grade to Eric Holder, he would get an A with respect to his department’s prosecution of Brian’s killers; but I would give him an F for his efforts in holding those ATF and DOJ employees accountable for the many mistakes made in Operation Fast & Furious.”[/quote]
Read more about Fast and Furious here.