3 men each sentenced in South Texas to nearly 22 years in federal prison for hostage taking

MCALLEN, Texas — Two Mexican men and a South Texas resident were each sentenced Tuesday to nearly 22 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit hostage taking.

The U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas, announced these sentences. 

This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Border Patrol, and Pharr (Texas) Police Department.

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Randy Crane sentenced the following three defendants to 262 months (21 years 10 months) imprisonment; Julio Vargas-Hernandez, 39, Gustavo Morales-Manriquez, 32, both from Mexico and Osiris Bulos-Gonzalez, from Pharr. Bulos-Gonzalez will serve a three-year-term of supervised release following his sentence, while Vargas-Hernandez and Morales-Manriquez are expected to face deportation proceedings after they complete their prison terms.

The sentences handed down July 14 were enhanced since the court took into consideration that a firearm was used and a ransom demand was made. The court further found that the victims, who were citizens of Mexico, were particularly susceptible to this type of offense. Vargas-Hernandez and Morales-Manriquez pleaded guilty to the charges April 17, 2014; Osiris Bulos-Gonzalez entered his guilty plea Oct. 29. 

According to court documents, on Feb. 9, 2014, law enforcement received a 911 call from an illegal alien claiming he and a group of other illegal aliens were being held against their will at a stash house in Pharr. Upon their rescue, these individuals told law enforcement they were kidnapped at gunpoint from a stash house by the defendants and taken to the stash house where they were made to call their families and request money to be paid for their release. They were threatened with death if the money was not paid.

All three defendants have been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Former Assistant U.S. Attorney, Juan Villescas and Leo J. Leo III, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.