Guatemalan faces up to life in prison for holding migrants in New Mexico
Prosecutors say a 24-year-old Guatemalan man faces up to life in prison after being convicted of holding migrants in the country illegally at a home in New Mexico.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office says federal court jurors in Las Cruces convicted Maximo Gonzalez-Sebastian on Wednesday of one count of conspiracy to take a hostage and three counts of hostage-taking.
The office says Gonzalez-Sebastian rented a home to house and detain Mexican nationals in the United States illegally and that he told at least one of them that he would not release them until he received payments from family members or others.
The office says Gonzalez-Sebastian telephoned one Mexican national’s relative and demanded payment by wire transfer to a bank account he controlled. Two co-defendants previously pleaded guilty and also await sentencing.
On Friday, the top federal prosecutor in New Mexico said his office is making a concentrated effort to investigate and prosecute organizations involved in human trafficking.
U.S. Attorney John C. Anderson tells the Albuquerque Journal authorities are looking at smugglers and those who are taking advantage of asylum seekers.
He said New Mexico is transit point for people entering the country illegally or through the asylum process. That includes large groups of Central Americans and others being taken into custody at remote spots such as Antelope Wells or areas near Deming.
The El Paso sector – which includes New Mexico – saw thousands of asylum seekers just in February. Shelters in the area have run out of space, leaving hundreds of the migrants to be bused to Las Cruces and Albuquerque.
