SAN MARCOS, Texas – San Marcos police arrested three men for allegedly kidnapping immigrants and holding them at a house until they paid several thousand dollars.
SMPD said Mason Castillo, 20; Robert Cruz, 19; and Jeremiah Villarreal, 19, are each charged with smuggling of persons, engaging in organized criminal activity, aggravated robbery, and aggravated kidnapping for ransom/reward.
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In August, a group of at least 10 immigrants said they were kidnapped as they were smuggled from Mexico to Austin, police said.
They were taken to a house in San Marcos, where they were forced to stay until their captors were paid several thousand dollars in cash.
The victims did not know the exact location of the home. Police said they located the residence by reviewing surveillance footage and mapping out a radius.
They also identified the suspects as Castillo, Cruz and Villarreal based on surveillance footage and cellphone data. Castillo and Villarreal also had previous charges of human smuggling.
Det. Casey Tennant said the investigation took four weeks until officers were able to secure warrants for their arrests.
Police arrested the suspects at three homes in San Marcos on Thursday. No victims were found at any of the homes, but officers said the evidence “corroborated the serious charges that the defendants now face.”
“Investigators assure the community that the neighborhood is safe,” the release states. “However, SMPD suggests that if the public sees something that seems out of place, speak up and call the police.”
Castillo, Cruz and Villarreal were booked into the Hays County Jail. They are each being held on a $1 million bond.
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