Investigations by the Mathis Police Department, with assistance from the Human Trafficking Unit, ultimately led to five notable arrests by the Texas Fugitive Apprehension Unit (FAU) at the end of April.
"In San Patricio County, the Fugitive Apprehension Unit arrested five individuals in Mathis for trafficking of persons under 18 and sexual assault of a child. These arrests stem from an investigation conducted by the Human Trafficking Unit," according to Attorney General Ken Paxton's law enforcement roundup report from April 26.
The Texas FAU reports to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton per Senate Bill 72 of the 86th legislature. The office of the attorney general is in charge of the human trafficking prevention coordinating council, which is responsible for creating a five year strategic plan to halt human trafficking in Texas.
According to the report released by Paxton's office, a tip to the Polaris National Hotline along with the Mathis Police Department's request for investigative assistance regarding a minor who had made multiple allegations of being trafficked helped lead to the arrests.
"During the course of the sex trafficking investigation, it was determined that Viviana Rivas trafficked the child to Francisco Silvas, who sexually assaulted her for the payment of narcotics," the report said. "A separate offense occurred when Jason Morales arranged for the child to travel to his residence for the use of narcotics, where she was subsequently sexually assaulted by Michael Bentancur and Manuel Caranza Jr. During the assault, Bentancur displayed a weapon to the victim."
Arrest warrants for the individuals were issued and the FAU executed the warrants between April 21-22.
"The five suspects in this case were arrested by the Fugitive Apprehension Unit and charged with crimes befitting their respective actions," the report said. "On April 21, Viviana Vela Rivas was charged with the trafficking of persons and Michael Anthony Bentancur was charged with aggravated sexual Assault of a child and violation of a court order/prohibited substance item in a community corrections facility. On April 22, Manuel Carranza Jr., Francisco Carranza Silvas and Jason Morales were each charged with the sexual assault of a child."
A report from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016 said there are 78,996 minor victims of human trafficking, and 234,457 victims of labor trafficking in Texas at any given time, totaling 313,453 victims of human trafficking.
An article by the Lone Star Standard noted the most likely victims of human trafficking are "migrant workers, the homeless and children reliant on the foster care system." They are at greater risk than the average Texan.
If you have any information, or a tip, about human trafficking and sex trafficking, call the Polaris National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
