Central American, Sri Lankan immigrants found in Brownsville stash house (KGBT-TX)

Central American, Sri Lankan immigrants found in Brownsville stash house
by Sergio Chapa
Posted: 06.29.2011 at 7:17 PM

A Brownsville couple is behind bars after authorities found 16 undocumented immigrants from Central America and Sri Lanka inside their home.

U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents arrested Alejandro Gomez-Gaona and Irys Deniesse Nino on human smuggling charges on Tuesday.

Court records released in the case show that an investigation led ICE agents to a duplex on the 2300 block of Las Casas Street.

Agents found 16 immigrants from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Sri Lanka.

Both Gomez-Gaona and Nino are accused of being caretakers for the Houston-bound immigrants.

Gomez-Gaona, Nino and two immigrants being held as witnesses appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Felix Recio in Brownsville.

Court records show that Nino rented the duplex for Gomez-Gaona, who is an illegal immigrant from Mexico.

Judge Recio denied bond for Gomez-Gaona and Nino until a Friday morning hearing but granted the two immigrants held as witnesses $5,000 dollar bonds.