GREEN LAKE COUNTY -- Six men, believed to be undocumented immigrants from Guatemala, charged in connection with a human trafficking case out of Green Lake County were in court Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Officials with the Green Lake County Sheriff's Office said the investigation began with a 911 call from a juvenile runaway who indicated she escaped from sex trafficking.
The 911 call came in around 10:45 p.m. on Thanksgiving -- Thursday, Nov. 28. Deputies found the victim on the side of the road and rescued her.
Sheriff's officials said the victim indicated she escaped from a home where she was being trafficked for sex, and that information led to the execution of a search warrant at a home on County Line Road in the Township of Manchester.
Green Lake County sheriff's officials said at the home, investigators found "a number of evidence items believed to be connected to the sexual assault of the juvenile."
Six men were charged on Dec. 17 with one count each of third-degree sexual assault and child enticement -- exposing genitals/pubic area/intimate parts:
Some of the men made initial appearances in court Jan. 7 after Dec. 3 bail/bond hearings.
Esler Hugo Rivera was in court Wednesday for a motion hearing, with a preliminary hearing and motion hearing scheduled for Feb. 27. Online court records showed the prosecution filed a motion for HIV testing after his initial court appearance on Jan. 7.
Rolando Corado Gonzalez was in court Wednesday for his initial appearance. A preliminary hearing and motion hearing were scheduled for Feb. 27. Online court records showed the prosecution filed a motion for HIV testing, after a hearing on Jan. 7, where it was determined he qualified for public defender representation, and the initial court appearance was scheduled.
Avelino Sarceno-Sarceno was also in court Wednesday for his initial appearance. A preliminary hearing and motion hearing were scheduled for Feb. 27. Online court records showed the prosecution filed a motion for HIV testing, after a hearing on Jan. 7, where it was determined he qualified for public defender representation, and the initial court appearance was scheduled. According to those records, during his Dec. 3 bail/bond hearing, prosecutors noted he is not a citizen of the United States and was removed from the United States, with ICE placing a detainer.
Ember Rivera was in court Wednesday for a motion hearing, with a preliminary hearing and motion hearing scheduled for Feb. 27. Online court records showed the prosecution filed a motion for HIV testing after his Jan. 7 initial court appearance, and the defense objected on Jan. 22. His Dec. 3 bail/bond hearing was adjourned to Dec. 10 because his public defender did not get a chance to talk with him before the Dec. 3 hearing, online court records showed. During the Dec. 10 bail/bond hearing, court records showed prosecutors noted he is from Guatemala and requested cash bond to remain.
Noe Bautista-Martinez was in court Wednesday for his initial appearance. A preliminary hearing and motion hearing were scheduled for Feb. 27. During a Jan. 7 hearing, online court records showed he qualified for public defender representation, and a motion for HIV testing was filed by the prosecution. Cash bond was amended from $20,000 to $50,000 after a Dec. 10 bail.bond hearing. During his initial bail/bond hearing on Dec. 3, court records showed prosecutors noted he is not a U.S. citizen.
Evis Amabilio Garcia-Rivera was in court Wednesday for a motion hearing, with a preliminary hearing and motion hearing set for Feb. 27. He made his initial court appearance Jan. 7, during which the defense objected to HIV testing requested by the prosecution.
After the arrests, sheriff's officials said Evis Amabilio Garcia-Rivera was suspected of trafficking the victim within the residence among the others and indicated all of the men were believed to be undocumented immigrants from Guatemala.