A 23‑year‑old oil‑field worker from Texas has spent the last nine months locked up in one of Mexico’s most notorious prisons. He was taken into custody after mistakenly crossing the U.S.‑Mexico border during a job‑related trip, an event his family insists was nothing more than an honest error.
The man’s name is Caden Hawkins, and he was arrested on March 2nd in Juárez after he inadvertently crossed the border at Columbus, New Mexico. According to his mother, April Thomas, the GPS in his vehicle led him straight to the crossing point without him realizing it. By the time he noticed, it was already too late to turn back.
When Thomas calls her son, Caden tells her about the sharp speed bumps in the town he is in and how he couldn’t turn around. She reports hearing people shouting in Spanish nearby. On a brief video he recorded before being taken into handcuffs, Caden can be heard frustrated, a snapshot of the tense situation that ultimately led to his detention.
Authorities in Mexico booked Hawkins on weapons charges, citing a pistol and ammunition in his possession. The firearm was licensed and legal for him in Texas, which has fueled the family’s claim that his arrest is a wrongful mistake. Lindsey K. David, a spokesperson for the family, stated, “My son is not a criminal,” and added that he “does not deserve this.”
Caden’s older sister, Haley Nicole Hawkins, shared that the emotional toll of hearing her brother in distress has profoundly affected everyone in the family. Since the arrest, the family has spent countless thousands of dollars on legal fees and travel expenses, and they are now turning to policymakers for help.
“I need someone more powerful than we are,” Thomas said. She called for intervention from lawmakers, arguing that the family has faced continuous pressure and extortion. East Texas State Representative Jay Dean has also weighed in, alleging that Hawkins is being used as a “cash asset for a corrupt federal judge in Juárez, Mexico.” He claims the family is required to pay “over $1,000 a week” for basics like hot water, toilet paper, and protection from violent inmates. Dean urged state and federal officials to work together to secure Hawkins’ release, proclaiming the situation “absolutely unacceptable” on Facebook.
Dean, who said he is “determined” to bring Hawkins home by Christmas, joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn in demanding federal action. They urged the public to contact government bodies to press for a resolution. Lawyers representing Hawkins warned that his appeal process could take up to two years and held that he might face a maximum sentence of four years.
Cereso Estatal No. 3, the facility where Hawkins is being held, is known to be among Mexico’s most perilous prisons. It has a history of violent riots, overcrowding, gang influence, and frequent security lapses. On January 1, 2023, a riot led by the Los Mexicles gang broke out, resulting in ten guards killed and about thirty inmates escapes. The incident underscores the perilous environment for detainees in this facility.
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