An inside look at Operation Stone Garden.

LAREDO, Texas (KGNS). During the trip, we saw deputies working with the Border Patrol to intercept people trying to enter the country and identify drivers with criminal records.

The Webb County Constable’s Office of the First Precinct works overtime two weeks a month.

Lt. Jonathan Gonzalez was one of those deputies who worked on Operation Stone Garden.

Gonzalez patrols west Laredo along the Rio Grande River.

The area was filled with bushes and businesses on one side and the suburbs on the other.

Gonzalez said the streets around the area were used as escape routes to get to I-35 and head north into the country.

Gonzalez noted, “Once the sun goes down, that’s when you see more activity.”

Law enforcement later saw a group of about 12 people on the Mexican side trying to cross.

Literally a few minutes after that, González noticed a person who could help the smuggler pick up the migrants.

Gonzalez raised a red flag to let his partners know there might be people crossing the road.

“I let the Border Patrol do its job. I’m looking for possible pickups.”

The team arrived at a location where agents were actively searching for illegal river crossers when Gonzalez exited the vehicle to find a hiding place.

When we got to the river, other agents detained a family that included a 12-year-old boy and his parents.

According to Gonzalez, the family was from Guatemala and we were not allowed to speak to them.

The family was taken to the border minibus and sent to the processing center.

When the federal agency took control of the situation, Gonzalez was called to assist another deputy who stopped the vehicle.

One deputy was checking the suspect, while the other was looking for contraband.

The driver was eventually arrested on a warrant.

After a long night of patrolling, Gonzalez returned to the station to end the night as he prepared to do it all over again the next day.

At the moment, agents and deputies still do not know whether the remaining nine people tried to cross the territory of the United States.

Recently, US Congressman Henry Cuellar announced more than $4 million for Operation Stone Garden for Webb County.

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