Bond set for Indiana driver charged in Weslaco human smuggling chase
An Indiana man remains in custody following a Monday police chase that the Texas Department of Public Safety said was human smuggling related, jail records show.
Hidalgo County jail records show Cesar Rafael Leon, 34, was booked on Tuesday on multiple charges of human smuggling, evading arrest and aggravated assault against a public servant. His bond was set at $170,000.
As previously reported, Leon was identified as the Indiana man behind the wheel of a Ford SUV that led Border Patrol agents and DPS troopers on a chase on Monday.
READ MORE: Indiana driver facing human smuggling charges following police chase in Weslaco, DPS says
Leon had five migrants in his vehicle when he was arrested after the vehicle came to a stop at the 2000 block of W. Expressway 83 in Weslaco. The chase started in Progreso, and at one point Leon hit a DPS unit during the chase.
Video of the chase released by DPS shows Leon driving the wrong way on the expressway during the chase.
?? Dashcam Release ??
— TxDPS - South Texas Region (@TxDPSSouth) August 6, 2025
A human smuggler led @TxDPS on a dangerous high-speed chase in Weslaco—speeding through construction zones & driving against traffic.
5 illegal immigrants were apprehended. No injuries reported.#OperationLoneStar #BorderSecurity #TXDPS #Weslaco #RGV pic.twitter.com/RTpksiX8K7
One of the migrants in the vehicle with Leon was 36 weeks pregnant. DPS said she was hospitalized following the chase.
The other four migrants were turned in to Border Patrol custody.