Newsletter Subscribe
Enter your email address below and subscribe to our newsletter
Kenner Man Charged with Human Trafficking and Rape After Allegedly Taking Teen as Debt Repayment
Share your love
Kenner Man Charged with Human Trafficking and Rape After Allegedly Taking Teen as Debt Repayment
A 34-year-old man from Kenner, Louisiana, faces serious criminal charges after authorities say he exploited a father’s smuggling debt by demanding his 16-year-old daughter as payment, holding her against her will and sexually assaulting her over an extended period.
Juven Paz was arrested earlier this year following a two-year search and is now in custody in Jefferson Parish. He stands accused of human trafficking and second-degree rape, according to Kenner Police.
Deputy Chief Mark McCormick described the case as a clear example of coercion, stating that the teenager “was given to the suspect” under duress to settle a $10,000 debt incurred for illegal entry into the United States. “It was all against her will,” McCormick emphasized.
Background of the Alleged Scheme
Authorities say the situation began in 2018 when Paz assisted the girl’s father in entering the country illegally from Honduras. The father still owed Paz for that assistance when he later arranged for his teenage daughter to join him in 2019.
Unable to repay the debt through conventional means, the father allegedly turned the girl over to Paz as repayment. Paz reportedly told the teen she was responsible for the family’s obligation and threatened harm to her and her relatives if she refused to comply, police said.
Starting in November 2019, the victim lived with Paz at a home in the 600 block of 27th Street in Kenner. During this time, he is accused of repeatedly raping her while forcing her to remain in the residence.
Paz later relocated to North Carolina with the girl. He was deported in 2023 but authorities believe he re-entered the country afterward. The victim eventually came forward with her account to law enforcement in 2023, leading to an arrest warrant issued in 2024.
Arrest and Current Status
After an extensive search, Paz was taken into custody on April 24 during a traffic stop by a North Carolina highway patrol officer who discovered the outstanding warrant. He was extradited to Louisiana and booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on June 6.
During a hearing this week, Jefferson Parish Criminal Commissioner David Wolff ordered Paz held without bail.
Kenner police noted that the investigation highlighted the intersection of human smuggling and trafficking, with the victim treated as collateral for a debt rather than a person with rights and autonomy.
The case remains active as prosecutors prepare to move forward in Jefferson Parish court.
Trending Now
- 1Update: Power has been restored.
- 2Northshore Community Mourns Loss of Respected Realtor Yvette Catoire Sehon
- 3Louisiana Sheriff Warns Parents About Threatening “Cat In The Hat” TikTok Reel
- 4Louisiana Sheriff Warns Parents About Threatening “Cat In The Hat” TikTok Reel
- 5Louisiana Sheriff Warns Parents About Threatening “Cat In The Hat” TikTok Reel