Leader of hostage-taking conspiracy sentenced in Houston to life in federal prison
HOUSTON— The leader of a violent hostage-taking alien-smuggling conspiracy, who left victims in deplorable conditions, was sentenced to life in federal prison, announced U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson, Southern District of Texas.
This investigation was conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) offices in Houston; Washington, D.C.; and Virginia, along with the Houston Police Department.
Samuel Castro-Flores, aka “Chame” or “Chamuco,” 42, a Mexican national, was sentenced to life in prison plus an additional seven years for brandishing a firearm while committing the hostage-taking offenses. A federal jury convicted Castro-Flores March 6, 2014 on 18 counts to include conspiracy to commit hostage taking, hostage taking and other charges involving smuggling aliens and firearms. At the time he committed these crimes Castro-Flores was living illegally in the United States and was on supervised release for a 2009 federal alien-smuggling conviction. U.S. District Judge Gray Miller also revoked Castro-Flores’s supervised release from the 2009 case and ordered him to serve an additional two years in prison for that offense.
Judge Miller also sentenced the following six others involved in this conspiracy:
- Virgilio De La Torre-Santana, 360 months;
- Joshua Andrew Carbajal, from Alice, Texas, 240 months;
- Jobs Solis-Benito, 97 months;
- Emmanuel Rivera-Abarca, 38 months;
- Adauto Aguilar-Lara, 36 months;
Except for Carbajal, all are illegal aliens from Mexico who will face deportation proceedings after they’re released from prison.
"Despite the illegal nature of being smuggled into the United States, we vehemently condemn human smugglers who prey on the vulnerabilities of their human cargo with threats and acts of violence," said Brian M. Moskowitz, special agent in charge of HSI Houston. "Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the investigative and prosecution team, these violent criminals won’t be able to harm others for a long, long time."
At the hearing Wednesday, the court also heard from a female victim who was sexually abused by members of the conspiracy while being held hostage by Castro-Flores and his co-defendants. In handing down the sentences, Judge Miller noted the deplorable conditions to which the alien hostages were subjected as well as the large scope of the hostage-taking and alien-smuggling organization led by Castro-Flores.
Judge Miller also ordered all defendants to pay restitution in the amount of $38,130, which represented the amount of money the group extorted from the families and friends of the alien hostages.
The charges stem from an HSI investigation that began in August 2012. Two illegal aliens had been smuggled into the country and their family members began to receive extortion calls demanding money for their release.
On Sept. 7, 2012, HSI special agents executed a search warrant at a residence on Amblewood Drive in Houston and encountered 26 illegal aliens who were being held hostage inside the residence, at least two of whom were juveniles. According to the aliens held hostage, upon arrival in Houston they were forced to undress. They were informed they had been “sold,” and they would not be released until family members paid for their release. They also reported they were held in their underwear in locked rooms with boarded windows, and in deplorable conditions. These victims also indicated they were guarded by men constantly armed with a handgun. Some victims said they were threatened with harm or death if payment was not received.
The evidence at trial showed Castro-Flores was the leader of this organization which held these aliens hostage and extorted their families for thousands of dollars before their release. The evidence also demonstrated Castro-Flores took extensive steps to avoid being detected by law enforcement. For example, he asked witnesses to help him present a false story that he was simply a repairman who happened to be at the Amblewood residence on one occasion to fix the air-conditioning.
An air-conditioning repair company owner in Houston reported that he once employed Castro-Flores as a helper in his business but fired him after learning he was involved in smuggling aliens. He also testified Castro-Flores later tried to use him to present a false impression to law enforcement that he was only involved in the air-conditioning business.
Prior to committing the offenses in this case, Castro-Flores was convicted of conspiracy to harbor aliens in July 2009 and subsequently deported in January 2011. He illegally re-entered the United States after being deported; he was arrested in Houston in this case Dec. 5, 2012. Before his trial, Castro-Flores pleaded guilty to illegal re-entry, one of the charges in the current case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey N. MacDonald and Arthur R. Jones, Southern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.
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