FORT BEND COUNTY – Three men in connection with a kidnapping and human smuggling case were arrested on Aug. 30, according to the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.
Jose Jose Aguirre, 24, Jose Aguirre Martin, 22, and Orlando Noe Betancur Flores, 21, were each charged with smuggling of persons. Aguirre was also charged with aggravated Kidnapping.
What happened
Deputies were alerted to the home in the 12000 block of Meadow Hollow Drive after one the men escaped. He led them to the home where authorities launched their investigation centered on five people who claim they were being held captive against their will.
Investigators with the Human Trafficking Unit said five people from Guatemala and Honduras, who were illegally smuggled, were found at the residence. Deputies say they acted quickly. They received information that one of the accused traffickers had been contacted to bring them to a nearby park so they could be taken to another location.
“We were able to recover them outside of the garage. They weren’t in there when we got there. But, imagine what an unlit, hot garage in the Texas summer would be. That’s exactly where they were being held. No windows, no doors, no air conditioning, no ventilation, just concrete floor. Just a hot garage,” Sgt. Justin Harris said.
They were reportedly being held at that location pending payment of additional money.
Aguirre, Martin, and Flores were arrested at the scene and charged.
A bond was set at $500,000 for Martin and $500,000 for Flores. Jose Aguirre’s bond is currently pending.