New Mexico Brothers Plead Guilty to Hostage-Taking, Human Smuggling

ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO – In a stark reminder of the brutal realities of human smuggling, two brothers have pleaded guilty to federal charges for operating a notorious stash house in Sunland Park, New Mexico, where migrants were held hostage and threatened at gunpoint.

According to court documents, Saul Castorena, 41, and his brother Steven Castorena, 40, operated the stash house in the ‘Old Anapra’ neighborhood of Sunland Park. The brothers allegedly detained undocumented noncitizens (UNCs) and demanded additional smuggling fees from their families in exchange for their release.

On January 18, 2023, U.S. Border Patrol agents apprehended two groups of UNCs in El Paso, Texas, who claimed they had escaped from the stash house. After linking the two groups to the same stash house, Border Patrol agents contacted Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) special agents, who conducted surveillance and obtained a search warrant.

During the raid, agents found seven migrants being held against their will on the property, including a woman and her 7-year-old child. The migrants reported being threatened at gunpoint and being told to pay additional smuggling fees.

Saul Castorena pleaded guilty to intentionally detaining individuals to compel their families to pay for their release. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to possessing a shotgun, despite having previous felony convictions. He faces up to life in prison and will be subject to up to five years of supervised release upon his release from prison.

Steven Castorena pleaded guilty to conspiring to transport and harbor migrants, and faces up to 10 years in prison. He will be subject to up to three years of supervised release upon his release from prison. The Court has ordered both brothers to remain detained pending sentencing, which has not been scheduled.

The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Randy Castellano and Devon Aragon Martinez are prosecuting the case.