The Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office last week assisted U.S. Border Patrol in a stash house bust where one of the alleged caretakers claimed 350 people cycled through over the course of five weeks.
Humberto Cevedeo-Melendez, born in 1974, and Carlos Alberto Celemente-Garcia, born in 2002, both of Mexico, made first appearances Monday in front of a federal magistrate judge on charges of bringing in and harboring people in the country illegally.
The investigation into the suspected Mission stash house began last Wednesday after Border Patrol received information about the residence, according to a complaint.
The following day, while conducting surveillance, agents watched a white utility van drive from the rear of the property to the front gate where Clemente exited from the vehicle’s passenger side, unlocked and opened the front gate and got back in before the van left the location, followed by agents, authorities say.
Agents followed the van to a restaurant where Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office deputies approached them and identified themselves as law enforcement.
According to the complaint, both men told deputies they were in the country illegally and Cevedeo said there were an additional 10 people in the country illegally at the house in Mission.
Investigators say Cevedeo provided consent to search the residence and handed over the keys, and Clemente told authorities there were 30 people who were illegally in the country inside the house, the complaint stated.
When deputies and agents responded, they say a total of 36 people in the country illegally were inside the house.
When interviewed, authorities say Cevedeo told them he paid $5,000 to enter the country illegally last November and had been living at the Mission residence for five weeks.
“Cevedeo agreed to keep track of and provide for the (people) in the house in exchange for living rent free. In addition, Cevedeo would earn two to three hundred dollars ($200-$300) weekly,” the complaint stated.
He was charged with feeding the people twice a day and would buy supplies when needed, according to authorities.
“Cevedeo admitted that he would keep track of new arrivals in a ledger, confiscate cell phones, and instruct the (people) not to go outside. Cevedeo claimed, that while he was living at the house, approximately three hundred fifty (350) (people) had been through the house,” the complaint stated.
He also told investigators that Clemente helped him smuggle people, according to Border Patrol.
During Clemente’s interview, he said he crossed the Rio Grande with six others on March 13 and was transported to the house where he was arrested.
“Clemente agreed to assist Humberto Cevedeo-Melendea, to reduce the remaining amount owed for his eight-thousand-dollar ($8,000) smuggling arrangements,” the complaint stated.
His duties were the same as Cevedeo’s and he earned $300 weekly, according to Border Patrol.
During the month he stayed at the house, Clemente said 80 people had come through the residence, according to the complaint.
Both men are being temporarily held without bond pending further court proceedings, records show.
