Authorities make arrest in human trafficking case

Brad Kellar, The Herald Banner, Greenville, Texas
·1 min read

May 17—A Houston man was arrested in Hunt County Wednesday and charged with human smuggling.

Jitzon Moralez Ramos, 24, of Houston was taken into custody Wednesday afternoon by deputies with the Hunt County Sheriff's Office. He remained in custody Friday morning in the Hunt County Detention Center on a charge of smuggling of persons. Bond was set at $15,000.

As of Friday, it was unknown whether Moralez Ramos had an attorney or would be seeking the appointment of a defense counsel to represent him by filing a writ of habeas corpus with the district courts in Hunt County.

According to the Texas Penal Code, smuggling of persons is a third degree felony, punishable by a maximum sentence of up to 10 years in prison if a person commits the offense with the intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit and uses a motor vehicle, aircraft, watercraft, or other means of conveyance to transport an individual with the intent to conceal the individual or flee from a peace officer or special investigator.

There are potential enhancements under the code which can raise the felony to a first degree, which is punishable upon conviction by up to life in prison.

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