EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – An El Paso woman and a 15-year-old have been arrested on charges of human smuggling and aggravated kidnapping.
Jenna Roark, 45, and an unidentified juvenile were arrested by Texas Department of Public Safety with assistance from Texas Highway Patrol troopers, the U.S. Border Patrol and the FBI.
According to a release sent out by DPS, the charges stem from a Sept. 16 traffic stop conducted by DPS troopers working Operation Lone Star. Troopers discovered Roark and the juvenile were smuggling illegal immigrants and were also traveling with an unidentified 18-month-old boy.
The child was in poor health and was immediately taken by ambulance to a local hospital for treatment. He was then released to Child Protective Services as officials investigated his identity and tried to locate family.
On Sept. 26, FBI El Paso contacted DPS CID Agents regarding information from Saint Petersburg, Florida, about a mother who’s baby was being held for ransom. FBI and DPS were able to confirm it was the child from the traffic stop. DPS, FBI and USBP personnel located and arrested Roark and the juvenile. Both have now been booked into the El Paso County Jail and the El Paso County Juvenile Probation.