WASHINGTON, June 11 (Xinhua) -- Three members of the National Guard of Texas, in the U.S. southwest, were charged on Monday withtransporting illegal immigrants, U.S. media reported.

    The three, who were assigned to serve on the U.S.-Mexico borderto help prevent drug smuggling and illegal immigrants, were arrested last week after 24 immigrants were found inside a van driven by one of them.

    They were accused in Texas Monday on a federal charge of conspiring to transport illegal immigrants.

    Twenty-four illegal immigrants were found by Border Patrol inside a van driven by Rodrigo Torres who was in uniform at that time. The other two were accused of receiving money to help the van pass a Border Patrol checkpoint by acting as if they were conducting National Guard business, prosecutors said.

    Lt. Gen. Chuck Rodriguez, the Texas state National Guard's adjutant general, said the National Guard was "fully cooperating" in the investigation.

    Each of the three could face up to 10 years in prison without parole and a fine of 250,000 U.S. dollars, and they could also be charged under military justice. Enditem