One arrested as search continues for second human trafficking suspect
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A man and woman have been accused of human trafficking and raping a girl under the age of 16, according to the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Spokeswoman Kayla Vincent says their Special Victims Unit received a report from the Children’s Safe Harbor Advocacy Center regarding the incident in July of 2023. During their investigation of the incident, detectives say the abuse allegedly began in 2021.
According to detectives, the victim told them that a family member Alejandra Ibarra, 31, and an acquaintance of Ibarra, Gustavo Ramblas, 46, were sexually abusing her while living in Calcasieu Parish.
Detectives say Ibarra encouraged the victim to be sexually active with Ramblas, telling her that he would take care of her and give her money. The victim also said that on multiple occasions the two suspects gave her narcotics before sexually assaulting her. The sexual and physical abuse continued until April 2023 when Ramblas was arrested by the Lake Charles Police Department for an unrelated incident.
On Oct. 31, Judge Michael Canaday issued an arrest warrant with a bond of $2,150,000 for both suspects, accusing them of 1st-degree rape, cruelty to juveniles, and human trafficking for sexual purposes.
On Nov. 21, Ramblas, who had been incarcerated at the Pine Prairie ICE processing center since his arrest in April, was transported to the Calcasieu Correctional Center to be booked for the additional charges.
Detectives are currently attempting to locate Ibarra but believe she is evading arrest and may possibly be in the Houston, Texas area. Authorities ask anyone who knows of her whereabouts or has any additional information related to the case to call CPSO at (337) 491-3605.
Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Tony Mancuso commented on the case saying, “This is one of those cases that is really disturbing...The abuse this child disclosed in her interviews was horrendous, and no individual, especially a child, should have to endure those things; and at the hands of family members. We are lucky here in Calcasieu Parish to have a working relationship with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as non-government agencies, and nonprofits, such as the Alliance to Fight Human Trafficking in SWLA, which CPSO is a part of, to combat crimes such as these.”
Copyright 2023 KPLC. All rights reserved.