Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents arrested an alleged human smuggler linked to a hostage case.
Emigdio Gonzales-Gamboa, 33, was arrested in Anthony, New Mexico and charged with harboring undocumented non-citizens, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said on Friday.
On June 1, Doña Ana County and HSI special agents responded to a residence in Anthony, New Mexico about a possible kidnapping. Deputies say they got a call from a woman stating that her sister was being held against her will. Deputies rescue a woman inside a trailer who said she had been smuggled into the United States and then held captive for six weeks. According to police, she identified Gonzalez-Gamboa as the man who had held her captive.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said quoting the court documents, the woman said that she was being held against her will by the owner of the residence, known only to her as “Flaco”. The female, a Honduran national, said she was smuggled into the United States, and had been held captive at the trailer for about six weeks. The individuals who held her took away her cellular phone, which she was allowed limited access to but only with supervision of the man holding her captive, she said.
She told police that her cell phone had been taken away and she was allowed only limited access to it. Police say she told them 12 other undocumented non-citizens had been taken to other U.S. cities.
“Human smuggling organizations threaten the security of the United States as well as the lives of the people on whom they prey,” said Frank B. Burrola, special agent in charge for HSI El Paso. “HSI remains steadfast to work with our partners to bring to justice those who conspire to undermine our nation’s immigration laws for their own profit and seek to abuse a vulnerable population.”
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