Ethan Couch continues to fight extradition from Mexico over his parole violations — but the scheming mom of the spoiled "Affluenza Teen" is in handcuffs and back in the U.S.A.!
Prosecutors in Texas say that Tonya Couch is facing up to 10 years in jail over charges of hindering the apprehension of a juvenile — meaning her son Ethan, who ran off to Mexico with Mommy when video surfaced that suggested he'd broken parole.
He'd been given a slap on the wrist at the age of 16 after a fatal DUI, and parole officers had gone looking for Ethan after film surfaced of him playing a round of beer pong.
"Ethan's attorneys worked quick," a law enforcement insider told The ENQUIRER.
"They had his deportation blocked, and the Mexican courts went along.
"Now it can take months before Ethan has to face the music!"
Earlier in the week, Mexican authorities had said the Couches would "deported voluntarily."
"Ethan's mom went ahead," said the source, "but it looks like Ethan's lawyers are looking to buy some time — and since his case is still in the juvenile division, Ethan might even get off with just days in jail for going on the lam!"
Chief Deputy U.S. Marshall Richard Hunter added: "At this time, we do not have a time frame [for Ethan's return]. We do not know if the Mexicans have the highest priority on this case like we do here in America."
The ENQUIRER earlier reported on how Ethan, now 18, had disappeared from his Texas home with his mom after footage surfaced of him allegedly enjoying a game of beer pong.
That would have violated the parole that he was put on as a 16-year-old — after a judge slapped him on the wrist for a DUI crash in 2013 that killed four people and injured nine others.
The rich kid's attorneys had put a psychologist on the stand who persuaded the judge that Ethan suffered from "affluenza," and had been spoiled so much as a rich kid that he could no longer distinguish between right and wrong.
A warrant had been issued for the teen after his parole officer couldn't contact him after the beer pong video had gone public.
As reported by The ENQUIRER, the killer and his mom were later caught in the posh Mexican resort town of Puerto Vallarta.
