Documents reveal how investigators found men accused of kidnapping, assaulting BP agent

Court documents obtained by ABC-7 reveal how investigators were able to track and arrest the men accused of kidnapping and brutally attacking a Border Patrol agent.

The agent, who is identified in court documents as Lorenzo Hernandez, remains in critical condition at University Medical Center. He told investigators he was struck several times with a machete the night of June 9, 2017.

Police arrested Sergio Ivan Venegas-Quinonez, 33; and Fernando Puga, 31. Venegas-Quinonez was arrested at a construction site on El Paso’s east side. He’s charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm and aggravated assault.

Puga, of Las Cruces, was taken into custody by Doña Ana County Sheriff’s detectives with the assistance of FBI agents. Puga was arrested across the street from The Community of Hope Center where he was a client.

Puga is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and attempted murder. He is being held at the Doña Ana County Detention Center with bond set at $1 million.

On the night of June 9th, Agent Hernandez was reportedly helping his mother at her tamales stand near the intersection of Stan Roberts Avenue and McCombs Street in Northeast El Paso. The two suspects bought tamales at the woman’s stand and the agent noticed a “large amount of cash” in the wallet of one of the suspects and a handgun in the waistband of the other suspect.

One of the suspects told Hernandez their vehicle had broken down and asked if he could give them a ride. According to court documents obtained by the ABC-7 I-Team, Hernandez said he didn’t know the men, but they allegedly told him if he “wanted to save his family and himself to get in the (expletive) car.”

Hernandez told his mother he was going to give the men a ride to a gas station. Once in the car, documents state, Quinonez allegedly pointed a gun at Hernandez’s ribs and Puga allegedly held a machete to the agent’s neck.

Hernandez was forced to drive to an area north of Las Cruces, documents state. During the drive, the suspects allegedly made comments like “Get rid of him now” and “I got this. You’ll see where I’m taking him.”

Once the men arrived at a rural area near the 6000 block of Shalem Colony Trail, the suspects and Hernandez began fighting. The agent was able to wrestle the gun away from the suspects, but “it was of poor quality and he was unable to fire it at the suspects,” a court document states. Investigators later determined the weapon was a pellet gun.

The agent attempted to run away, but Puga allegedly began striking Agent Hernandez with a machete. Hernandez told investigators he was able to fight the men and run away. Later that night, the agent was found with multiple lacerations to his head and arms in an area just west of Las Cruces.

Documents state Hernandez suffered partial amputation to two fingers on his right hand; a possible frontal hemorrhage; and several arm and hand fractures.

Earlier that evening, Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Deputies investigated a domestic dispute in Chaparral, the sheriff’s office said. There, they learned Vanegas-Quinonez allegedly threatened his girlfriend with what appeared to be a gun. Quinonez left in a vehicle that matched the description of a car later found abandoned in Anthony, Texas. Investigators said the description of Puga and Vanegas-Quinonez they got from the suspect’s girlfriend matched the description of the men from Hernandez and his mother.

One June 11, 2017, investigators found a 1994 Nissan Sentra in the vicinity of Anthony, Texas. Investigators learned the vehicle belonged to Quinonez, who abandoned the vehicle after it broke down. Court documents state bloodhound tracking dogs were sent to the scene, where they picked up a scent from the driver’s seat. The bloodhouds followed the scent from the abandoned car to the area where Agent Hernandez was attacked, court documents state.

Investigators located Quinonez on June 13, 2017. Under interrogation, Quinonez told agents he met Puga, known as “El Cholo” the night of the attack. Quinonez said he was asked by a friend to give Puga a ride from Las Cruces to El Paso so Puga could pick up some money to buy meth. Later that night, the men allegedly kidnapped Agent Hernandez.

Quinonez told investigators Puga repeatedly hacked away at the agent, “as if he was extremely angry.” Quinonez said he, too, felt threatened and “played the part” by pushing the agent around. Vanegas-Quinonez told investigators he was afraid Puga would hack him as well.

Court documents state Quinonez gave investigators a description of Puga and Puga’s address in the Las Cruces area. Quinonez accompanied investigators to the scene of the attack, where he told them exactly how the kidnapping and attack played out, court documents state.

Investigators also obtained a search warrant to search Quinonez’s cell phone. Agents allegedly found the following text message: “I think we killed a gun in the river … Shalem Colony Trail and Simpson Farm Road.”

A witness working with investigators consensually recorded a conversation with Puga in Las Cruces, documents further state. During the recorded conversation, Puga allegedly admitted to stealing the agent’s vehicle and attacking the agent in order to help Quinonez.

After his arrest June 1, 2017, Puga told investigators he was the one kidnapped.