Immigrants Held for Ransom in Home

Police found 74 suspected illegal immigrants being held for ransom in a South Los Angeles house Wednesday evening; a third of them were crammed in a small attic.

The immigrants, the youngest of whom was 13, came mostly from Central America, possibly El Salvador, but others may be from Mexico, said Lt. Paul Von Lutzow of the Los Angeles Police Department.

As officers pulled the immigrants out of the 80th Street home, some asked for food and water, and some wept.

“You really have to feel sorry for them,” Von Lutzow said. “You know how long it takes to save money in El Salvador to make this trip? It takes years.”

Each immigrant may have paid as much as $5,000 to get to Los Angeles. Then they were held until relatives or friends could pay a ransom, which is often several thousand dollars, he said.

Police said the group may have been in the home for at least a day.

The attic where 21 of the immigrants were held was about 15 square feet and did not have ventilation or running water. The others were found in two bedrooms and the kitchen. There was a restroom but no air conditioning. The smugglers were believed to be staying in the living room, which had a small window air conditioner, Von Lutzow said.

About 5:08 p.m., police responded to the 500 block of 80th Street near Figueroa Street after a call reporting a kidnapping, Von Lutzow said. When officers peered in the windows they saw the crowd of people. As the officers entered the home, some tried to lock themselves in the attic with the others.

By 8:30 p.m. the immigrants were led to buses headed for an Immigration and Naturalization Service holding center. Residents who had gathered outside the single-story home shouted out encouragement.

A man who had been hiding in the group was pulled aside and arrested on suspicion of kidnapping for ransom.

Some neighbors said they never noticed large groups of people being brought into the home.

“This causes me a lot of pain,” said Sofia Arreasa, a Guatemalan native who lives nearby. “They just want to find their life and they get here and lose all their money for nothing. It makes me angry and it makes me very, very sad.”

In the home, police found a fax machine and financial books that indicated that the smuggling operation had been in existence for some time, Von Lutzow said. There were also photographs of immigrants and a payout sheet listing amounts due.

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Associated Press contributed to this story.