A Houston man has been sentenced to federal prison for operating a stash house linked to a human smuggling operation. Junior Morales-Chutan, 33, a Guatemalan national in the U.S. illegally, was sentenced to 48 months in prison followed by supervised release. After serving his sentence, he faces possible deportation, U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei announced, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Prosecutors said Morales-Chutan operated a stash house in Houston where migrants were held under threats of violence while their families were pressured for ransom payments. In one instance, he demanded $32,500 from a father who had already paid $25,000 for the release of his two children, threatening to turn them over to a cartel if the money was not paid, as reported by the U.S. Attorney’s Office…