A Russian mercenary was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol agents earlier this month after he illegally entered the U.S. near Roma, Texas, according to reports.

ValleyCentral.com in Harlingen, Texas reported that agents encountered Timur Praliev after he crossed the Rio Grande into Texas, carrying two passports and $4,000 on Jan. 4, 2025. He was ultimately arrested.

A criminal complaint acquired by the station shows that Praliev was questioned about his citizenship during the encounter and stated he was a citizen of Kazakhstan.

Another court document shows Praliev appeared in court last Tuesday with counsel and entered a guilty plea of knowingly and unlawfully entering the U.S. at a place other than as designated by immigration officers.

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The FBI is among the agencies investigating the reported assault on the female Border Patrol agent of the Tucson Sector. (Getty Images)

During the court hearing, Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda McColgan reportedly told the judge Praliev was also in possession of a drone in his backpack when he crossed into the U.S.

She added that when questioned, Praliev admitted to being a member of the Wagner Group.

The judge presiding over the case ruled Praliev was guilty as charged and ordered a term of imprisonment plus a special assessment of $10.

WAGNER GROUP: WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT RUSSIAN MERCENARY GROUP IN UKRAINE

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Cadets of a military academy fire a salute during the funeral of Dmitry Menshikov, a mercenary for the private Russian military company Wagner Group, killed during the military conflict in Ukraine, in the Alley of Heroes at a cemetery in Saint Petersburg, Russia December 24, 2022. REUTERS/Igor Russak (REUTERS/Igor Russak)

The station reported that when Praliev was asked if he had anything to say, he responded, “Nyet.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for more information on the matter.

In 2023, the U.S. Department of Treasury designated the Wagner group as a significant transnational criminal organization, which resulted in sanctions against the group and its supported network across multiple continents.

The Wagner Group has operated across several regions, including the Middle East, Africa and Venezuela, and has long caused “no end of problems for U.S. policymakers.”

TIMELINE OF WAGNER MERCENARY GROUP’S STANDOFF THAT SHOOK PUTIN’S RUSSIA

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In this handout photo taken from video and released by Prigozhin Press Service Saturday, May 20, 2023, Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group military company speaks holding a Russian national flag in front of his soldiers in Bakhmut, Ukraine. Prigozhin claims his forces have taken control of the city of Bakhmut after the longest and most grinding battle of the Russia-Ukraine war, but Ukrainian defense officials have denied it. In a video posted on Telegram, Prigozhin said the city came under complete Russian control at about midday Saturday. (Prigozhin Press Service via AP)

Since its inception in 2014, the group has been considered a proxy group of the Russian state abroad, according to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The group rose to prominence during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

The group currently has approximately 50,000 personnel deployed to Ukraine, including 10,000 contractors and 40,000 convicts, according to U.S. officials. 

Wagner has increasingly leaned on recruitment from prisons, which often include trained military veterans. U.S. intelligence has indicated previously that the Russian Defense Ministry has “reservations” about Wagner’s recruiting methods, but the group will continue to find fresh troops in prisons.

Fox News’ Peter Aitken contributed to this report.

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Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.

Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.

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Crews have worked non-stop for nearly a week straight now in their battle with the deadly Eaton Fire, which was 33% contained at 14,117 acres as of Monday night.

When the fire first broke out on the night of Jan. 7, thousands of people were forced to evacuate in a rush as the flames, some as tall as 100 feet, ripped through the Altadena region. Firefighters rapidly put up a heroic effort to save as many lives, homes and land as they could.

Although thousands of homes have since been lost, one neighborhood is largely intact thanks to the fighting efforts of a group of U.S. Forest Service firefighters based in the Angeles National Forest.

That same U.S. Forest Service team on Monday provided an inside look at how they managed to save homes they were defending that first night near Kinclair Drive in Pasadena.

In the footage provided by the crew, the intimidating blaze was both seen and heard – but it did not seem to phase the brave firefighters as they adamantly organized their attack.

“Jonathan, careful, we can’t run out of water,” shouted a firefighter, giving orders to his crew over the loud raging of the massive flames merely feet away.

“When we first arrived on scene, we were faced with walls of flames 50 to 100 feet, wind gusts in excess of 50 miles an hour,” said Robert Robledo, a U.S. Forest Service captain. “I’ve been fighting fire for 21 years and this is probably the worst I’ve ever seen the wind gusts, the ember casts and flame impingement on structures.”

Members of this U.S. Forest Service wildfire unit were first on scene and worked tirelessly for the next 36 hours straight before taking a brief rest, and then attacking flames on another front on Mount Wilson.

“We’re coming to a chaotic scene and we’re trying to bring calmness to everything,” team member Eduardo Cerna told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe. “As we’re coming in, we’re noticing that a lot of people are rushing out.”

As the firefight continues amid fears of strong winds rebuilding – these crews are determined to keep moving forward.

“Our main goal is to try to make sure public safety, life and property are good, and then that way we can safely do our job without having to worry about life, and then we can save as many homes as possible,” said Cerna.

An electrical transmission tower in Eaton Canyon is under investigation as the possible cause of the deadly fire that bears its name.

The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department announced the repopulation of communities impacted by the Eaton Fire effective as of 3 p.m. on Monday.

The areas are still under evacuation warnings include:

• inside the unincorporated L.A. County area of the Kinneloa Mesa Community
• South of Heights Road to New York Drive and East of Outpost Lane to Sierra Madre Villa Avenue

Places still closed to residents include the remaining areas of the unincorporated community of Altadena.

After losing his home and his sister in the Eaton Fire, a beloved high school football coach and third-generation Altadena resident is asking his community to support each other, to fight for everything they have, and, most importantly, to stick together.

Zaire Calvin was one of the thousands of residents forced to evacuate in a flash when the Eaton Fire broke out. His sister, 59-year-old Evelyn McClendon, was one of the at least 16 people whose lives were claimed by the flames.

“I don’t even know how to talk about it,” Calvin told KTLA’s Jennifer McGraw. “She couldn’t get out.”

In an interview with CNN, Calvin said he last saw McClendon as she was collecting her belongings to evacuate her home.

As Calvin rushed to his car with his 1-year-old daughter in his arms on the night of Jan. 7, he yelled repeatedly for McClendon, who lived in a neighboring home, to get out.

“That part, it just replays in my head like a bad nightmare over and over again,” said Calvin. “I try to understand what she was thinking and why she wouldn’t, or why she didn’t.”

Fearing for his family’s life, Calvin escaped with his wife, mother and daughter – desperately hoping that his sister would evacuate. Calvin told CNN that he remembered seeing McClendon’s car still parked out in front of the house.

When Calvin returned home to see the rubble of his house and his family’s adjoining houses, he saw his sister’s car still in front of her house, according to CNN’s report. His cousin reportedly found McClendon’s remains while shoveling through the debris of what used to be her bedroom.

“It’s been hard, processing all this, I’ve been crying every day,” Calvin told KTLA. “I just want to go home.”

While trying to deal with the tragic loss of his sister, Calvin said his community has played a significant role in helping him feel supported.

“The grace of God and the support of family and everyone who’s been through these tragedies have come out in droves to support each other,” said Calvin. “And as far as my Oaks Christian family, who’s been so generous, it’s been a blessing.”

Moving forward, Calvin said he hopes his community, many of them generational homeowners, will rebuild and continue calling Altadena their home for generations to come.

“Just as long as we stick together and do not sell – please, keep your homes – my Altadena community, fight for everything,” said Calvin. “God will make a way.”

Calvin asked those looking to help him to forward their generosities to his nonprofit, linked here.