HARRIS COUNTY: Harris County Precinct 4 constables arrested four men night suspected in a human smuggling ring.
Deputy constables said they rescued a man who was smuggled from Mexico to the Houston area.
“Our investigation revealed the family members contacted an alien smuggling organization operating in Mexico for the purpose of smuggling the male victim into the United States via the Texas-Mexico border,” Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said.
The family, who is from Maryland, said they paid nearly $2,000 to the smuggling organization, who hired “coyotes” to bring the man into the U.S.
The smugglers demanded another $2,900 from the family for the man’s release. The family then contacted Precinct 4.
Undercover investigators arranged a meeting with the smugglers in north Houston, where three of the suspects were taken into custody.
Kilmer Roberto Yanes Zavala, Weldin Yobany Ayala Soriano and Hector Rodriguez Sanchez are charged with aggravated kidnapping and smuggling. They are being held without bond in the Harris County Jail.
At the stash house in the 14000 block of Sellers Road where the victim was being held, three other men who were being held against their will were rescued. Deputy constables said the victims were forced into slave labor.
A fourth man, Heivi Martinez-Garcia, was arrested at the stash house and charged with four counts of felony aggravated kidnapping.
Deputy constables believe there may be more victims.
The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task Force and the Houston Police Department assisted Precinct 4 with the arrests.
