EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 Federal authorities say a search of an El Paso home uncovered what investigators described as a stash house, leading to a dozen arrests and the discovery of three juveniles inside.<\/p>\n
A U.S. citizen and an illegal immigrant from Venezuela were charged in federal court in El Paso this week for their alleged roles in a human smuggling operation, according to U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons.<\/p>\n
Court documents state that U.S. Border Patrol agents served a federal search warrant at an El Paso residence on April 20. <\/p>\n
Before serving the warrant, agents conducting surveillance followed two people who left the home and detained them for additional investigation. <\/p>\n
Authorities identified one as Edith Marie Dominguez, a U.S. citizen, and the other as Gregory Jose Daniel Martinez-Tovar, from Venezuela. <\/p>\n
Agents and partner agencies then returned to the residence on Bon Aire Drive to serve the warrant. <\/p>\n
RECOMMENDED: <\/a>CBP considers building new Border Patrol facility in Las Cruces<\/a><\/p>\n During the search, agents allegedly found what they described as deplorable living conditions, including scattered trash and covered windows, which authorities said were consistent with stash house operations, officials said. <\/p>\n Investigators said 10 adults and three juveniles were found in various rooms of the residence. <\/p>\n Authorities said all of the adults and one of the unaccompanied juveniles were confirmed to be illegally present.<\/p>\n According to court documents and testimony during Monday\u2019s detention hearing, agents also located evidence they said was tied to smuggling, including ledgers, cell phones, U.S. currency and multiple firearms.<\/p>\n Dominguez and Martinez-Tovar, who had been detained before the search, were arrested and charged with one count of alien smuggling, authorities said. <\/p>\n A criminal complaint alleges Dominguez had been involved in the smuggling operation for about one year and admitted working with a smuggler to transport aliens within the El Paso area and to Albuquerque, New Mexico.<\/p>\n The complaint also alleges she helped others avoid detection while smuggling aliens through U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints in New Mexico. Authorities said both Dominguez and Martinez-Tovar admitted acting as caretakers of the stash house.<\/p>\n