Laredo, Texas: Two Arrested in Standoff, Kidnapping Case

 “Sol Prendido” for Borderland Beat

Laredo police officers responded to an assault report at about 9:20 a.m. Wednesday in the 2200 block of Cortez Street. The caller stated that a 17-year-old girl with visible injuries had asked her for help. 

The teen told first officers on the scene that she had been kidnapped and assaulted at a home in the 2100 block of Guatemozin Street. Laredo Fire Department crews took the teen to a local hospital.

Officers responded to the residence on Guatemozin and encountered a woman identified as Alexa de la Rosa, 18. De la Rosa stated she was in the home with Alejandro Vela, 23. Based on exigent circumstances, officers entered the home and located several rounds of ammo and loaded gun magazines in plain view, according to police.

Officers then heard noises coming from the attic of the home. Due to the ammo found inside the home, officers secured the perimeter of the home and waited for additional resources, including the SWAT team and negotiators. At about 3:40 p.m., the SWAT team entered the home and located Vela hiding in the attic.

An investigation revealed that Vela kidnapped the 17-year-old girl at gunpoint and forced her into a white BMW driven by de La Rosa. The teen was taken to the residence on Guatemozin, where she was tied down and tortured for several hours by Vela and de La Rosa, according to police.

Police said the teen was untied at some point and left alone by her captors. She then managed to escape and seek help from a bystander. At the home, police found a black pellet gun, marijuana, cocaine, a THC cartridge and cash.

Vela and de La Rosa were arrested and charged with one count of aggravated kidnapping by terrorize, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana.

In addition, Vela was served with warrants charging him with smuggling of persons and operating a stash house. Those charges stemmed from an investigation on July 1, where police busted a stash house with 28 migrants. The migrants were turned over to the U.S. Border Patrol

Laredo Morning Times