Undocumented migrants found hidden inside altered hay bales near Flatonia
FAYETTE COUNTY, Texas - Multiple undocumented migrants were found hidden inside altered hay bales near Flatonia, the sheriff's office said.
A routine traffic stop conducted by a Fayette County deputy led to a major human smuggling discovery.
The backstory:
According to the Fayette County Sheriff's Office, on May 20, around 12:50 p.m., deputies conducted a traffic stop on a white Ford F-250 on I-10 at mile marker 658 near Flatonia, heading eastbound. The truck was pulling a gooseneck hay trailer loaded with round bales.
When the deputy got closer, they saw the bales of hay had been altered and hollowed out to create concealed compartments. Inside the compartments, deputies found multiple undocumented migrants being smuggled into confined spaces. The migrants were hidden behind metal framework and layers of hay that were designed to be hidden.
The sheriff's office said there were 12 people found in the hay bale.
The driver, 44-year-old Delbert Flanders, of Kansas, was taken to the hospital for medical treatment.
Two people who were in charge of the operation, 22-year-old Adanaylo Lambert and 25-year-old Lency Delgado Fernandez, both from Houston, were taken into custody. They are facing federal and state charges related to human smuggling.
The undocumented migrants were turned over to ICE for processing.
This case remains under investigation.
The Source: Information from the Fayette County Sheriff's Office