HOUSTON – Eleven people were involved in a ransom and human smuggling case in Houston in March, U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani announced Tuesday.
Hamdani made the announcement and released details about the criminal operation alongside the FBI and the Houston Police Department.
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During a news conference in the case, authorities announced that federal charges were filed against three more people in relation to the smuggling event that turned fatal.
What happened
On March 18, Hamdani said a human smuggling operation was happening en route to Houston when seven vehicles chased a truck full of migrants and started shooting. The incident left one migrant in severe condition and the other migrants were taken and held hostage at two Houston-area motels. It’s unclear at this time what happened to the migrant left in severe condition, but KPRC 2 is working to obtain more information on what happened to that person.
According to Hamdani, over several days, the three victims were threatened and beaten by the suspects. Videos of the beatings were reportedly sent to the migrants’ family members for ransom. Two families paid a significant amount of money, according to authorities.
According to testimony presented in court, the kidnappers released two of hostages after their families paid the ransom, and law enforcement conducted an operation to rescue the remaining victim.
Suspect killed during shootout
On March 23, gunfire broke out between FBI agents and the hostage-takers before daybreak, leading to one of the kidnappers being killed and another being arrested.
Agents with the FBI’s hostage rescue team rescued the remaining migrant when the shots broke out, said James Smith, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Houston office.
Smith said one suspect was fatally shot while another suspect was taken into custody by the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Arrest made
Authorities took Brian Martinez, 24, East Bernard, and Miguel Gonzalez, 33, Richmond, into custody on July 25 and 26 on human smuggling charges.
Christian Hernandez, 25, East Bernard, are in custody and expected to make his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam S. Sheldon at 2 p.m. Tuesday. Gonzalez is on home confinement with restrictions, while Martinez is in custody pending a detention hearing set for Aug. 3.
Zachary Austin Palomo, 28, Alex Anthony Fisher, 26, and Brenda Roxana Serrano Figueroa, 25, all of Houston, have been and will remain in custody on kidnapping charges returned in May.
Two others, Santiago Hernandez Jr., 26, and Lorie Lin Flowers, 25, both also of Houston, remain at large. Warrants remain outstanding for the arrest of Hernandez and Flowers who are considered armed and dangerous.
Anyone with information about their whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324).
Santiago Hernandez Jr., Flowers, Palomo, Figueroa and Fisher are charged with aiding and abetting kidnapping. If convicted, they could face up to life in prison. For bringing in and harboring immigrants lacking permanent legal status, Gonzalez, Cristian Hernandez and Martinez could receive up to 10 years in federal prison, if convicted. All charged also carry a potential fine of $250,000.