Moorefield @ 6 1/2 mile road, Alton, TX just nort of McAllen, United States
Victor Campuzano, age 23, of Houston, Texas rented three pick up trucks from National and Hertz rental companies at Bush Intercontinental Airport. National has been fully cooperative, providing all records of the transaction. Campuzano is also forfeiting his personal vehicle to law enforcement. He has been arraigned and will go to trial some time between Oct 2009 and June of 2010. Campuzano posted the $10,000 bond in cash. McAllen detectives expect him to plea bargain out.
Location
United States · Moorefield @ 6 1/2 mile road, Alton, TX just nort of McAllen · 2009 (location generalized to protect survivors)
Response & intervention
McAllen police set up a raid on Campuzano's house at Moorehead and 6 1/2 mile road. The raid netted 22 undocumented men and women.
Law enforcement made a routine traffic stop and became suspicious when they discovered four undocumented passengers in Campuzano's pickup truck.
The undocumented victims were immediately transferred to Border Patrol and deported. As of July 20th, 2009 calls have been made to local law enforcement and local newspaper to ascertain whether this is a smuggling or a trafficking case. Awaiting callbacks.
Detectives for the McAllen police department said that these cases are so frequent and such "low level" cases that neither ICE nor Homeland Security really wants to handle them. Border Patrol then steps in and deports the victims. It is possible that law enforcement does not know that there are legal protections and services for trafficked victims.
Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don't have a verifiable source on file yet — use “Report a problem” below to add one.