Traffic Stop leads to discovery of Undocumented individuals

Sheriff Keith Korenek reports yesterday at approximately 12:50pm a traffic stop conducted by a Fayette County Sheriff’s Deputy led to a major human smuggling discovery.
At approximately 12:50 pm Fayette County Drug Interdiction Sergeant Thumann stopped a white Ford F-250 pulling a gooseneck hay trailer loaded with round bales on IH-10 near Flatonia.
A closer inspection revealed that the round bales of hay had been meticulously altered and hollowed out to create concealed compartments. Inside those compartments, deputies discovered multiple undocumented individuals being smuggled in dangerously confined spaces. The individuals were hidden behind metal frameworks and layers of hay designed to evade detection.
The driver of the vehicle, identified as (44) Delbert Flanders of Kansas was taken to the hospital for medical treatment. The coordinators of the operation (22) Adanaylo Lambert and (25) Lency Delgado Fernandez, both Houston residents, were also taken into custody and facing federal and state charges related to human smuggling. The undocumented individuals were turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for processing.
Assisting with the traffic stop was Texas DPS, Flatonia Police Department, Fayette County Sheriff’s Office Deputies, and Fayette County EMS.
This case remains under investigation by the Fayette County Sheriff’s Office in coordination with federal authorities.

The Stop on I-10 was East Bound. There were 12 individuals located in the hay.