Fort Worth

10 Arrested After Dozens Held Captive in Irving, Fort Worth Under ‘Medieval, Barbaric' Conditions

Detectives said some victims taken to the facilities by family, others kidnapped and held against their will

Ten people are under arrest in Irving and Fort Worth after police say they held several dozen people against their will under "barbaric" and "medieval" conditions at supposed drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities.

According to the Irving Police Department, Jesus Dorado told police Oct. 4 he was being chased by three men who were holding people against their will at a home on the 2400 block of Penn Street. Officers went to the home and found nearly 30 other victims being held against their will.

Dorado told police he had beaten and bound to a chair for days at a time while being fed only a package of noodles. Another victim, identified as Danillo Maldonado, said he'd escaped a similar facility in Fort Worth only to be recaptured, thrown into a van and severely beaten before being relocated to the Irving facility.

Another victim, identified as Augustin Para Hernandez, said he was held against his will, tied down with plastic cord and punched in the face and stomach.

Police said many of the other victims showed signs of physical and mental abuse.

While the Irving investigation unfolded, Fort Worth police were notified about two other possible facilities -- one on North Beach Street and another on Brentwood Stair Road. At the North Beach Street location, police found nine people who said they were not being held against their will. However, at the Brentwood Stair location, Fort Worth officers found eight men and three women, between the ages of 22 and 66, who police said were being forcibly held.

At the Irving facility, police took seven people into custody who claimed they were operating a rehabilitation facility for alcohol and drug dependency treatment. In Fort Worth, an additional three people were arrested.

  • Carlos Diaz, 20, aggravated kidnapping, arrested in Irving
  • Jonathan Ortiz, 21, aggravated kidnapping, immigration detainer, arrested in Irving
  • Bryan Gutierrez, 21, aggravated kidnapping, arrested in Irving
  • Jorge Ramirez, 30, aggravated kidnapping, immigration detainer, arrested in Irving
  • Leonel Omar Fernandez, 39, aggravated kidnapping, arrested in Irving
  • Jose Pascual Hernandez, 29, aggravated kidnapping and unlawful restraint, arrested in Irving
  • Jose Saul Reyes Hernandez, 31, unlawful restraint, arrested in Irving
  • Rodrigo Soto Gonzalez, 23, arrested in Fort Worth
  • Ricardo Rodriguez Taylor, 21, arrested in Fort Worth
  • Adolfo Tello, 60, arrested in Fort Worth

Fort Worth police said all of the victims were Hispanic and that most spoke little or no English. Detectives learned some of the victims had been taken to the facility by family members for alcohol or drug rehab, but that others said they had been kidnapped and held against their will.

"The conditions inside of the facilities and the treatment of the 'patients' can only be described as medieval and barbaric," Fort Worth police said in a statement. "The victims were often beaten, tied to chairs, and fed one package of Ramen noodles a day. 'Good' patients were allowed five minutes to eat beans, rice, and potatoes one day a week. Beds were made of wooden two-by-fours."

The victims, many who had no place to stay, were provided temporary shelter at Safe Haven and The Salvation Army after being fed by police.

"We want to extend our gratitude to both the caseworkers in Victim Assistance and The Salvation Army for generously assisting these victims in the early morning hours after the discovery," Fort Worth police said.

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