Cops: Illegal immigrants held captive in Port Chester; captor threatens to cut off their fingers

By Leslie Korngold
March 31, 2008

PORT CHESTER - A Texas man was arraigned today after police said he transported illegal immigrants from Texas, held five of them in a Port Chester apartment and threatened to cut off their fingers with pruning shears if they didn't ante up more money.

John Ernest Guerrero Jr., 22, of Pearland was arrested after the captives escaped, police said. Police are seeking a second captor.

Two men were found on Poningo Street Saturday afternoon allegedly after escaping from an apartment in 123 Haseco Ave., a duplex Victorian-style building, where they had been held for four or five days after being transported there by two men in a car after crossing the Mexican border into Texas.

Guerrero was arraigned this morning, charged with first-degree attempted robbery, a felony, police said. He was being held on $100,000 and is due back in Port Chester village court Thursday.

A total of five men escaped the apartment; only two have come forward, police said.

The second man police are seeking fled in a black four-door Toyota suburban utility vehicle, police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Port Chester police at 914-939-8419. All calls will be kept confidential.

Staff writer Leah Rae contributed information for this report.

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? ... 8803310389