A stabbing along the Pennsylvania Turnpike led to charges being filed against two suspects who are accused of human trafficking in Franklin County, according to state police. The incident took place in the eastbound lanes of I-76 in Lurgan Township around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19. A state trooper said he was parked along the turnpike in a marked patrol unit near the Blue Mountain tunnel when he saw a dark green Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driving in an “erratic manner” that almost swerved into the center median. Once the truck came to an abrupt stop, the trooper approached the vehicle as he initially believed it was just a crash, according to the court documents. Police said three people were inside the truck at the time: two Hispanic men and a Hispanic woman. The two men are identified as: Jose Antonio Hernandez-Guittierez, 30Edgar Jesus Espinoza-Gamboa, 27The trooper who was at the scene saw that Espinoza-Gamboa had been stabbed in the neck and shoulder area and was bleeding profusely, according to the affidavit. Espinoza-Gamboa was flown by a medical helicopter to Penn State Holy Spirit Trauma Center. Woman says she was kidnapped, being trafficked, documents sayOne of the men told troopers, “La Chica stab, ran across road,” the documents said. The Hispanic woman had fled, running across the turnpike and into a wooded area, investigators said. Assisting law enforcement responded to the scene and were able to locate the woman, who communicated with police through her phone for translation, according to the documents. Drugged, threatened, documents sayThe victim said she was kidnapped, threatened to be raped, drugged and was being trafficked, the affidavit stated. During an interview with police, the victim, who is from Quebec, based on her Canadian ID, said she was picked up by the two men at her uncle’s place in Missouri after her boyfriend in Mexico arranged for them to take her back to Canada for $2,000, according to the documents. During the trip, the victim said she suspected she was being drugged with some type of dust to keep her asleep after she began feeling sick and abnormal, the affidavit stated. As the trip continued, the woman said the men became hostile with her and began to threaten that they were “going to force her to have sex for money,” the documents said. The victim told officers that the men said they were going to sell her to someone for $1,000 before sexually assaulting her themselves and “throw her in the mountains for her to freeze and die,” the affidavit said. As the two men brandished electrical stun guns to scare her, the victim said she stabbed Espinoza-Gamboa and was able to flee after the driver, Hernandez-Guittierez, stopped the truck, according to the documents. Police: Suspects provide inconsistent storiesState police conducted interviews with both Hernandez-Guittierez and Espinoza-Gamboa, and troopers said their stories did not match. Hernandez-Guittierez said Espinoza-Gamboa was his cousin, but Espinoza-Gamboa said they were friends, according to police. Hernandez-Guittierez initially said he picked up the victim at a gas station after she asked for a ride, but investigators said he continued to change his story and provide inconsistent information. Hernandez-Guittierez later admitted to lying and confessed that he picked up the victim in Kansas the night of Nov. 18, according to the affidavit. Police then interviewed Espinoza-Gamboa at the hospital, who said they were headed to Philadelphia from Denver. Investigators said he refused to further answer questions after being questioned about his inconsistent story. Police: Large sum of cash, encrypted phones, human trafficking notes found in truckInvestigators searched the pickup truck and seized two stun guns, zip ties, binoculars, a new pair of boots and a bag with two secure and encrypted waterproof phones that police said were not consistent with a typical phone. Authorities also said they found $1,020 in U.S. dollars and a notepad that contained information relative to human trafficking. According to police, more than $3,200 was also found in Hernandez-Guittierez’s possession. Both Hernandez-Guittierez and Espinoza-Gamboa were charged with human trafficking, simple assault and terroristic threats. They were taken to the Franklin County Prison.The woman was charged with use and possession of drug paraphernalia after police said she admitted to using a dollar bill and a straw to ingest crack and cocaine. Investigators stated she is being held at Franklin County Jail because she has no fixed address in the United States and is considered a flight risk. The incident remains under active investigation. Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more.

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Pa. —

A stabbing along the Pennsylvania Turnpike led to charges being filed against two suspects who are accused of human trafficking in Franklin County, according to state police.

The incident took place in the eastbound lanes of I-76 in Lurgan Township around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

A state trooper said he was parked along the turnpike in a marked patrol unit near the Blue Mountain tunnel when he saw a dark green Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck driving in an “erratic manner” that almost swerved into the center median. Once the truck came to an abrupt stop, the trooper approached the vehicle as he initially believed it was just a crash, according to the court documents.

Police said three people were inside the truck at the time: two Hispanic men and a Hispanic woman. The two men are identified as:

Jose Antonio Hernandez-Guittierez, 30Edgar Jesus Espinoza-Gamboa, 27

The trooper who was at the scene saw that Espinoza-Gamboa had been stabbed in the neck and shoulder area and was bleeding profusely, according to the affidavit. Espinoza-Gamboa was flown by a medical helicopter to Penn State Holy Spirit Trauma Center.

Woman says she was kidnapped, being trafficked, documents say

One of the men told troopers, “La Chica stab, ran across road,” the documents said.

The Hispanic woman had fled, running across the turnpike and into a wooded area, investigators said.

Assisting law enforcement responded to the scene and were able to locate the woman, who communicated with police through her phone for translation, according to the documents.

Drugged, threatened, documents say

The victim said she was kidnapped, threatened to be raped, drugged and was being trafficked, the affidavit stated.

During an interview with police, the victim, who is from Quebec, based on her Canadian ID, said she was picked up by the two men at her uncle’s place in Missouri after her boyfriend in Mexico arranged for them to take her back to Canada for $2,000, according to the documents.

During the trip, the victim said she suspected she was being drugged with some type of dust to keep her asleep after she began feeling sick and abnormal, the affidavit stated. As the trip continued, the woman said the men became hostile with her and began to threaten that they were “going to force her to have sex for money,” the documents said.

The victim told officers that the men said they were going to sell her to someone for $1,000 before sexually assaulting her themselves and “throw her in the mountains for her to freeze and die,” the affidavit said.

As the two men brandished electrical stun guns to scare her, the victim said she stabbed Espinoza-Gamboa and was able to flee after the driver, Hernandez-Guittierez, stopped the truck, according to the documents.

Police: Suspects provide inconsistent stories

State police conducted interviews with both Hernandez-Guittierez and Espinoza-Gamboa, and troopers said their stories did not match.

Hernandez-Guittierez said Espinoza-Gamboa was his cousin, but Espinoza-Gamboa said they were friends, according to police.

Hernandez-Guittierez initially said he picked up the victim at a gas station after she asked for a ride, but investigators said he continued to change his story and provide inconsistent information. Hernandez-Guittierez later admitted to lying and confessed that he picked up the victim in Kansas the night of Nov. 18, according to the affidavit.

Police then interviewed Espinoza-Gamboa at the hospital, who said they were headed to Philadelphia from Denver. Investigators said he refused to further answer questions after being questioned about his inconsistent story.

Police: Large sum of cash, encrypted phones, human trafficking notes found in truck

Investigators searched the pickup truck and seized two stun guns, zip ties, binoculars, a new pair of boots and a bag with two secure and encrypted waterproof phones that police said were not consistent with a typical phone.

Authorities also said they found $1,020 in U.S. dollars and a notepad that contained information relative to human trafficking. According to police, more than $3,200 was also found in Hernandez-Guittierez’s possession.

Both Hernandez-Guittierez and Espinoza-Gamboa were charged with human trafficking, simple assault and terroristic threats. They were taken to the Franklin County Prison.

The woman was charged with use and possession of drug paraphernalia after police said she admitted to using a dollar bill and a straw to ingest crack and cocaine. Investigators stated she is being held at Franklin County Jail because she has no fixed address in the United States and is considered a flight risk.

The incident remains under active investigation. Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more.