Huntsville man arrested for human smuggling in Texas

Huntsville man arrested for human smuggling in Texas
Published: Dec. 8, 2022 at 6:02 PM CST

KILGORE, Tex. (WAFF) - A Huntsville man was arrested and charged with human smuggling after officers with the Kilgore Police Department uncovered evidence while responding to a crash on Interstate 20, KPVI, an NBC affiliate said.

Officials with Kilgore Police said shortly before midnight on Saturday, officers responded to a two-vehicle crash heading eastbound on I-20. One of the vehicles involved in the crash was being driven by 30-year-old Adan Torres-Ramirez of Huntsville. In total officers counted seven people in the SUV, all of whom were Mexican nationals.

While officers were investigating the crash, it was learned that Torres-Ramirez was taking the passengers to Florida for work. Officials said the passengers had been in the United States for a few months and none of them knew the driver.

According to KPVI, detectives interviewed the passengers all of which stated how they came to the United States, how long they had been there, how much the driver and his boss were charging them for locating work, traveling and lodging. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were then notified.

Torres-Ramirez was charged with six counts of smuggling of persons and is being held in the Gregg County Jail on a $600,000 bond ($100,000 for each count).