HOUSTON, Texas
Authorities in Houston have taken three illegal immigrants from El Salvador into custody after they allegedly tried to meet a minor girl. This arrest is part of a larger investigation targeting interactions facilitated by dating apps, according to law enforcement officials.
Houston Police detectives arrested Abner Lewis, Carlos Gomez, and Eric Menzibal earlier this week for allegedly soliciting minors online. Reports suggest these individuals communicated with individuals they believed were girls aged between 14 and 16 using the dating app Jaumo. One of the suspects has also been accused of fleeing the scene after a car accident, resulting in injuries to a pedestrian.
“Houston police confirmed that these three individuals were arrested in separate incidents as part of an ongoing operation,” a report stated, noting that HPD did not specifically target undocumented immigrants.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Houston have identified the detained individuals as three Salvadoran nationals. Statements from ICE detail their backgrounds:
Carlos Gomez
Carlos Gomez, 33, was deported from El Salvador and re-entered the United States illegally on October 19, 2012. He is currently facing new criminal charges and has been in custody since a minor’s complaint led to his arrest.
Eric Menzibal
Eric Omar Lara Menzibal, 30, entered the U.S. illegally near San Isidro, California, on July 25, 2018. He was apprehended on the same day but was released shortly thereafter. His immigration case was dismissed by a judge in August 2024.
Abner Lewis
Abner Martinez Lewis is 37 and entered the U.S. illegally, with his first encounter with immigration officials occurring on July 17, 2025.
When Gomez arrived at the meeting spot, law enforcement noticed him and he allegedly fled the scene, driving recklessly and running a stop sign before crashing into a closed gate, injuring a pedestrian in the process. The case is currently being handled by Judge Lance Long of the 183rd Criminal District Court.
Witness reports indicate that Gomez was attempting to engage in sexual activities with a minor during this encounter. There have been claims of previous violent criminal history, including domestic violence charges dating back to 2015 for Gomez, while Menzibal also has a record involving family violence.
In a separate but similar situation, police in Livingston, Texas, arrested Randy Newman, 31, who allegedly traveled to meet someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. He was apprehended at the scene and later released on a bond the following day.
