Police: 18 kidnapping victims found 'enslaved' in Houston home

HOUSTON, Texas -- Authorities arrested and charged five people who allegedly kidnapped, smuggled and sexually assaulted multiple people in Houston.

During a press conference on Friday, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo and Mayor Sylvester Turner announced the arrests of the alleged kidnappers.

On June 5, a family contacted the Houston Police Department to report their relative was being held for a ransom, and that the kidnappers would not release the relative without a specific amount of money.

Detectives with the Homicide Division, Human Trafficking Unit and the Criminal Intelligence Division worked quickly to locate the suspects and began a rescue operation.

Authorities located a stash house at 10427 Rockcrest Rd. where 18 people, including two women, were allegedly being held in the safe house.

The two women were allegedly held captive in the home for 25 days, and sexually assaulted by three of the five men arrested.

The other 16 men were allegedly being held with little to no clothing, and were "enslaved, in some cases, for work and sex."

Detectives said 18 people, including two women, were being held for ransom. They also found four guns, more than $10,000 in cash and 19 grams of cocaine.

Suspects

Jose Silvestre, 18, is charged with aggravated sexual assault and engaging in organized criminal activity by kidnapping.

Fredy Moreno-Gil, 26, is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity by kidnapping.

Gabriel Salazar-Bautista, 35, is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity by kidnapping.

Jose Manuel Aviles-Diaz, 26, is charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, engaging in organized criminal activity by kidnapping and possession with intent to deliver or manufacture a controlled substance.

Moris Gudiel Campos Gomez, 39, is charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, engaging in organized criminal activity by kidnapping and possession with intent to deliver or manufacture a controlled substance.