Suspected human smuggler arrested; 11 rescued
by Tessa Muggeridge - Oct. 2, 2009 04:11 PM

A state taskforce on Thursday rescued 11 suspected illegal immigrants who were held captive at gunpoint inside a Phoenix house, including a woman who is 7-months pregnant, authorities said.

A man accused of holding the group was arrested after he was found trying to hide among the captives, state DPS said.

The Phoenix Police Department received a 911 call around 2 p.m. from a man who said he feared for his life and that three armed gunmen had about 15 hostages inside a yellow house in Phoenix, according to a statement released by the state Department of Public Safety. The line was disconnected after a very short time.
Officers were attempting to locate the home when the man called a second time around 5:30 p.m. with more information that led officers to the residence, near 85th Avenue and Indian School Road, authorities said.

A man, identified later as Augustin Valencia-Rodriguez, tried to flee as officers knocked on the door but then ran back inside, the statement said. Valencia-Rodriguez was suspected of smuggling the immigrants into the country.

The officers requested assistance from the Phoenix Police Department Special Assistance Unit and DPS Illegal Immigration Prevention and Apprehension Co-op Team. As SAU personnel were preparing to enter the home, several victims started to leave.

Valencia-Rodriguez tried to hide within the group of victims, the statement said. He was arrested and booked into the Maricopa County Fourth Avenue Jail on suspicion of kidnapping, extortion and human smuggling. The unit entered and found 12 undocumented immigrants, all from Mexico, inside, including Valencia-Rodriguez.

Two other gunmen left the home before police arrived, according to the victims. Detectives believe the gunmen held the victims for at least one day after they reportedly had each paid $800 to enter the country.

After crossing the border on foot, they were picked up by a truck in the middle of the night and taken to a motel and then the yellow house, the statement said.

At the house, the gunmen demanded more money and threatened to strip the victims naked and leave them in the desert if their families didn't pay. . The gunmen also threatened to shoot them if they attempted to escape the home which had fortified windows, according to the statement.

The pregnant woman, who is the wife of the man who made the 911 calls, complained of pregnancy-related pain and was treated on the scene and then transported to a local hospital. Detectives believe she was scared and stressed about being held captive which led to pregnancy complications, the statement said.

Ten of the victims were turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The pregnant woman was still hospitalized Friday afternoon and her condition is unknown.


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