Saturday, April 27, 2024
Fair, 61°Wind: 16.1 mph, W
Welcome to our new web site!
To give our readers a chance to experience all that our new website has to offer, we have made all content freely avaiable, through October 1, 2018.
During this time, print and digital subscribers will not need to log in to view our stories or e-editions.
A federal grand jury on Tuesday indicted, for a third time, Saul Castorena, 41, and his brother, Steven Castorena, 40, with conspiracy to take a hostage, two counts of hostage taking, conspiracy to harbor people who are not authorized to be in the U.S. and two counts of such harboring.
It was a second superseding indictment, amending and replacing earlier indictments, often because of new information or evidence which may include new charges or additional defendants. An initial federal complaint was filed in New Mexico federal district court in January of 2023, and the first indictment filed in June followed by a superseding indictment in October.
Saul Castorena faces additional charges of possession of a firearm and ammunition after being convicted of a felony in the past, and possession of an unregistered firearm. The Justice Department stated in a news release that he had previously been convicted of conspiracy to transport unauthorized migrants for money and for transporting them.
The victims are identified only by their initials in the indictment.
The defendants, both Sunland Park residents, are being held ahead of trial, set to begin Feb. 26.
They are accused of detaining two people who had entered the U.S. without inspection in January 2023, per the indictment. They allegedly threatened both individuals and demanded a ransom.
Under the law, both men are held to be innocent unless and until proven guilty. If convicted, they both face potential lifetime prison sentences.
