ROUND ROCK, Texas — The Round Rock Police Department arrested a woman who reportedly called about a June 22 burglary that ended up involving a Honduran man who said he was attempting to escape her home.
The woman, 48-year-old Mariana Salgado, encouraged the man "to enter and remain in the United States in violation of federal law," specifically one about "bringing in and harboring certain aliens," an affidavit states.
The man had reportedly fled to Mexico from Honduras, and he then made plans with a woman there to be smuggled into Texas. Documents state Salgado and her husband picked the man up from San Antonio and took him to their home in Round Rock, where he was told he was not allowed to leave until fully paying off his debt of $9,200.
The affidavit states that the man said Salgado threatened to call the police accusing him of burglary if he ever left.
The man's girlfriend, living in New Jersey, paid Salgado roughly $5,200 on his behalf as of June 22. He also installed cabinets for three days, making $360 — a total that went directly to Salgado's husband, the affidavit states.
Police said that, at one point, the man tried to escape, but he was discovered behind a 7-Eleven and forced into a vehicle that took him back to the home.
The man said he'd lived in the home for about a month, sleeping in the living room and owning nothing but his identification documents and two watches. Salgado gave his identification documents to Round Rock police upon their request.
Police said a couple other men were also living in Salgado's home and paying off their debts.
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