Thread: CA-Police and ICE raid Fontana house

Police and ICE raid Fontana house
Lori Consalvo
Posted: 12/18/2009 02:30:33 PM PST


Fontana police officers and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are investigating one kidnapping incident and following up on a number of other leads into what they think is a trafficking scheme.
Officials raided a residence in Fontana Friday after they received a report of kidnapping for ransom.

According to police, a woman called and said her husband had been taken and was being held for money.

"We believe the incident is the result of a human smuggling scheme," Virgina Kice, a spokeswoman for ICE, said.

The victim, who sparked the initial incident, has been rescued, Kice said.

"He was unharmed," she said.

Officials have reason to believe there are more kidnap victims.

"The husband gave us information that more (people) were being held," Fontana Lt. Chris Tronaas said. "We forced entry into (a) house and only one person was there. We were told people were moved so we're looking into that."

Officials would not release an address or anymore information, stating the investigation is still on-going.

Two arrests have been made.


http://www.sbsun.com/breakingnews/ci_14027117

3 arrested for alleged human smuggling in Fontana
The Associated Press
Posted: 12/19/2009 11:37:14 AM PST
Updated: 12/19/2009 11:37:14 AM PST

FONTANA, Calif.—Three people have been arrested in an alleged human trafficking scheme after a kidnapped man was freed by police in San Bernardino County.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement says a husband, his wife and the wife's father were arrested Friday in Fontana on suspicion of human smuggling.

Officials are not releasing the suspects' names until Monday because no formal charges have been filed.

The arrests were made during a sting to free an immmigrant whose wife said he was being held for ransom.

Officers recovered several thousands of dollars and records of smuggling fee payments.

www.mercurynews.com

Smuggling suspects identified
Lori Consalvo
Posted: 12/21/2009 06:29:08 PM PST


The three people who allegedly smuggled a Mexican resident across the border and held him for ransom last week in Fontana were charged Monday.
Graciela Martinez-Rodriguez, Hector Manuel Albanez-Rocha, and Marcelino Martinez, the three accused smugglers, were charged in federal court with alien smuggling, harboring and conspiracy, said Lori Haley, spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The suspects were identified as a husband and a wife and the wife's father.

Officials with ICE and the Fontana Police Department made the arrests after they were tipped off to a possible trafficking scheme.

On Friday morning, a Fontana woman told police her husband was being held for money.

The kidnapped man was eventually rescued and returned home unharmed.

During the investigation, officials also found several thousands of dollars, records of smuggling fee payments, and piles of damp, sandy clothes in a residence in the 16000 block of Elaine Drive, which led them to believe the house was being used in the smuggling ring.

http://www.sbsun.com/breakingnews/ci_14042627