April 18, 2019 500 AM
BREWSTER COUNTY – Two law enforcement agents in the Big Bend region are facing indictments related to serious crimes involving a child under six. The two men are brothers, Daniel Saenz Holguin and Hector Holguin, and the pair have remained on duty, and are still on Alpine’s city payroll and Border Patrol Big Bend Sector’s payroll, despite the investigations.
Daniel Saenz Holguin, an active employee of the Border Patrol, was indicted for the first-degree felony of Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child last month by the Brewster County grand jury. He was arrested by the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office on April 4.
In connection, Hector Holguin, a current Sergeant at the Alpine Police Department, and the brother of Daniel Holguin, received an Official Oppression indictment by a grand jury, a Class A Misdemeanor. The indictment explains that on the night of the assault, November 1, Hector Holguin went to the home where the child was, and illegally removed the child from the mother’s lawful custody. The documents allege that Hector Holguin’s conduct was knowingly unlawful, and that he carried out the actions while wearing his Alpine Police Department uniform.
The indictments state that both events occurred on or about November 1, 2018, and it’s unclear what transpired in the five months between the event and the indictments. Hector was ultimately indicted February 21, and Daniel on March 28 this year.
Both men have since bonded out of jail, with Daniel Holguin’s bond being set at $75,000, only half of the recommended $150,000 bond for his alleged crime. Hector’s bond was $5,000.
Special Operations Supervisor Arain Carrera from Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector indicated over the phone on Tuesday that he had not heard about the arrest of Daniel Holguin, an agent in their sector, on April 4. Carrera requested information from the Sentinel regarding Holguin’s arrest.
Supervisor Carrera later confirmed via email, “Mr. Holguin is currently employed by CBP/ U.S. Border Patrol. Due to the active investigation, CBP/U.S. Border Patrol refers all other inquiries to the Brewster County Sheriff’s Office.”
Carrera did not respond to questions asking whether Border Patrol will take any actions regarding Holguin’s employment status given the indictment, and asking whether Border Patrol was investigating this indictment of their officer prior to the Sentinel’s call on Tuesday.
Judy Stokes, the administrative assistant at Brewster County Sheriff’s Office, was reached Wednesday, but stated that although the Sheriff’s Office made the arrests of both Holguin brothers, the cases are not in their jurisdiction, and they could not provide an answer as to whose jurisdiction the cases were under.
Hector Holguin has been a Sergeant in the Alpine Police Department for three years, according to Felipe Fierro, an Alpine PD Lieutenant, though he has been on the department’s staff for longer. Since the indictment, Hector has been removed from active duty, and the Lieutenant explained, “He’s on administrative duties pending the outcome on the case against him.”
Though he is not currently allowed to patrol, the Lieutenant confirmed that Hector Holguin is coming in to work still, has been assigned administrative “desk duties,” and is still collecting a paycheck on the city of Alpine’s payroll, despite the indictment.
