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Illegal immigrant charged with kidnapping minor from Terrell and taking her to Georgia for sex

Illegal immigrant charged with kidnapping minor from Terrell and taking her to Georgia for sex

TERRELL, Texas — An illegal immigrant has been indicted on charges for taking a 14-year-old girl against her will from Terrell, Texas, to Stockbridge, Georgia, where he allegedly had sex with her, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Georgia.

TERRELL, Texas — An illegal immigrant has been indicted on charges for taking a 14-year-old girl against her will from Terrell, Texas, to Stockbridge, Georgia, where he allegedly had sex with her, according to a release from the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Georgia.

The indictment charges 24-year-old Andres Castaneda-Guzman, who is in the United States illegally, with kidnapping a minor and transporting her across state lines for the purpose of engaging in unlawful sexual activity.

The minor, a distant relative of Castaneda-Guzman, was 14 years old at the time of her kidnapping, according to a federal complaint filed in the case.

On September 2, 2017, Castaneda-Guzman attended a birthday party for the victim in Terrell, Texas, in honor of her upoming 15th birthday, according to the complaint. The victim's family, siblings, and friends also attended the party.

Around 1 a.m. on September 3, the complaint alleges Castaneda-Guzman, while the party was till ongoing, offered to drive the victim to meet with other invited party guests who were unable to find the party, in an attempt to direct them to the address.

Instead, Castaneda-Guzman drove her to Jonesboro, Georgia, where he previously resided, and sexually assaulted her, according to the complaint.

The complaint further alleges Castaneda-Guzman recently moved to Terrell in August 2017 and had pursued a relationship with the minor for several weeks, advancements which the minor rebuffed.

After first arriving in Georgia, Castaneda-Guzman stopped at a trailer home occupied by his former in-laws. The minor attempted to contact her parents by cellphone but one of Castaneda-Guzman caught her and removed the battery from the phone.

The next day, the former in-laws, after being contacted by police, notified Castaneda-Guzman that police were searching for him and the minor at which point, he had a taxi return her to her family.

Federal investigators also obtained a Terrell Police Department police officer's body camera which captured video of Castaneda-Guzman shortly after the alleged kidnapping. In it, investigators positively identified Castaneda-Guzman and the minor as his passenger.

“Child exploitation in any form is dreadful, but the kidnapping a child for sexual purposes is an atrocity of the worst kind,” said ICE HSI Atlanta Acting Special Agent in Charge Gregory Wiest. “HSI will continue to prioritize child exploitation investigations and utilize all that we bear to bring those accused to justice.”

“This kidnapping and sexual assault of a minor is stunning,” said U. S. Attorney Byung J. “BJay” Pak. “Prosecuting violent crime, including child exploitation, is an important priority for the Department of Justice. We are fully engaged in combatting child exploitation and will prosecute anyone who believes they can pursues this vile practice.”