ESPAQOLA, N.M. (KRQE) - A northern New Mexico man is charged with
taking a 19-year-old woman as a trade for drugs, then forcing her to
have sex.
Herman Flores Jr., 24, is charged with kidnapping, aggravated
burglary and criminal sexual penetration.
Espaqola police say the 19-year-old woman's brother traded her to
Flores for heroin.
According to a police report, Flores allegedly held her for about a
month, from October to November, and saw her as his property.
"If she called police or tried to get away, he said that he would
harm her and she'd never make it back to Espaqola," said Detective
Christian Lopez.
A tip led police to the woman at Flores' grandmother's home in Santa
Fe County. She was rescued before she had a chance to escape, Lopez
said.
The investigation is still underway.
Her brother could face charges.