5 Charged In Alleged Houston Human Smuggling Operation
Five people have been charged days after Houston police discovered 97 migrants in a suburban house in what appears to be an alleged human smuggling case, the Justice Department said Monday.
The individuals, all of whom are residing in the United States illegally, are now in custody and face federal charges. They are from Mexico, El Salvador, and Honduras, and are aged between 21 and 31.
Marina Garcia-Diaz, 22; Henry Licona-Larios, 31; Kevin Licona-Lopez, 25; Marco Baca-Perez, 30; and Marcelo Garcia-Palacios, 21, face one count each of harboring migrants into the United States, online court records state.
According to a criminal complaint filed Saturday, all five harbored, concealed, and shielded illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain.
Five charged after almost 100 people found in suspected smuggling operation Phil Helsel
Five people have been charged after 97 migrants were found in a Houston house Friday in what authorities think is a smuggling operation, federal prosecutors said Monday.
All five charged by criminal complaint Saturday are living in the county illegally, the U.S. Attorney s Office for the Southern District of Texas said. They are from Mexico, El Salvador and Honduras.
On Friday, Houston police were investigating a report of a possible kidnapping and found 97 people, none of whom have authorization to be in the U.S., inside the two-story home, officials said.
By Jordan Freiman Houston raid uncovers 90 people in possible smuggling ring
Federal charges have been filed against five people for their alleged roles in a human smuggling operation in Houston, the Department of Justice announced on Monday. The charges stem from the Friday discovery of nearly 100 undocumented people in a single house.
Marina Garcia-Diaz, 22; Henry Licona-Larios, 31; Kevin Licona-Lopez, 25; Marco Baca-Perez, 30; and Marcelo Garcia-Palacios, 21, are all alleged to have harbored, concealed and shielded illegal aliens for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain, the department said in a statement. None of the five are U.S. citizens and all are living in the country illegally, the department said.
Five suspects face federal charges after police found nearly 100 undocumented migrants involved in an alleged human smuggling incident inside a residence in Houston.
Federal charges have been filed against at least five people for their alleged roles in what authorities believe to be a human smuggling operation run out of a Houston “stash house,” where investigators found nearly 100 people crammed inside two rooms last week.