There isn’t a hiding throughout the border for American fugitives in Fugitive Hunters Mexico. The brand new A&E docuseries sees undercover items examine, observe, and seize these most wished criminals to reply for his or her crimes. After their apprehension, they’re handed over to United States legislation enforcement.
Translators together with Victoria Castillo have been embedded with these crews to not solely assist doc the method but in addition get to talk with the fugitives. Right here Castillo opens up about her time working with the elite Mexican process pressure on these circumstances and the potential hazard concerned.
How lengthy have you ever been a translator?
Victoria Castillo: I’ve been a translator just about all my life for various initiatives. I’m a first-generation Mexican-American. Spanish was my first language. I believe it’s one thing first-gen children study to do very early on. It has all the time been a part of me and one thing I’ve all the time performed. Having performed another on-camera initiatives in Spanish as properly, it has type of come naturally. So far as true crime and legislation enforcement go, it’s only a very deep curiosity in mine. It’s one thing I’m very obsessed with. I all the time wished to be a cop and am very thinking about politics and historical past and the world and storytelling. I, as a photographer, seize that in my travels and initiatives. It type of went hand-in-hand with this challenge. That’s how I ended up right here.
How a lot expertise do you may have working with legislation enforcement? Have you ever been in all these conditions?
No, this can be a new expertise for me. I’ve by no means been in a scenario like this. I grew up in a tough space. I grew up within the hood. It’s type of one thing I’ve all the time been thinking about. I don’t scare simply. I’ve realized a whole lot of issues rising up. I noticed a whole lot of issues rising up. This has all the time been attention-grabbing to me. This was a chance the place all my passions mixed, and I jumped on it.
Victoria Castillo (A&E)
What sort of preparation did you do earlier than filming started?
Earlier than I even went to Mexico, I wished to verify I used to be ready bodily and mentally. Because the job got here nearer and I used to be getting ready to go to Mexico, I began going to the capturing vary much more. Not only for goal apply, however to be round a whole lot of loud noise. I might simply stand there and discuss to myself and narrate what was taking place. This was so I might put together to be round chaos and loud conflict zone-type conditions. I did preparation alone earlier than Mexico. As soon as I went to Mexico, I went by means of coaching on the police academy with the Mexican police. We did hostile atmosphere coaching and people issues to be ready to be with them and worse-case situations.
Within the first episode, you’re employed alongside the crew as they go in to retrieve a drug trafficker named Adam Pittman. He has a historical past of violence. There’s a level the place you placed on the bulletproof vest. What was happening in your thoughts at this second?
I placed on my bulletproof vest loads throughout these operations with the Mexican police. I knew it was a part of the job. I knew what the hazards have been. I knew what I used to be signing up for. I knew I might be working intently with the police to do these huge operations. I attempted to see it as a part of the job and course of. I believe that’s what stored me calm and strolling by means of the motions daily. You’ll be able to’t be jumpy about each little factor. So placing on the vest for me grew to become an on a regular basis factor.
The crew works below the guise that they’re selecting up a mattress on the market. You then see this takedown occur. How was it witnessing that firsthand?
It’s surreal. I’m with the police by means of your entire course of from the investigation to piecing all the pieces collectively to the precise surveillance to the precise arrest. This particular case was an undercover operation the place the brokers pretended to have an interest within the mattress the fugitive was promoting so as to have the ability to enter the house to see if he actually was there. The entire level of a surveillance operation is that you really want eyes on the topic. You wish to confirm they’re in there. In the event that they don’t come exterior, you don’t get to go inside except you may have a warrant. When you await a warrant, you danger them fleeing. This was a artistic method of seeing if he was the truth is there.
As soon as they verified he was in there, they obtained him out by asking him to assist carry the mattress out due to it was heavy. That’s how that unfolded. You suppose there isn’t any method the fugitive goes to purchase this, and he did. You watch all of it unfold. It’s very severe work, and in the mean time, I’m not in there as a true-crime fan. I’m appearing as virtually one of many brokers or a journalist or narrator. It’s a really severe scenario the place something might occur. Issues might get harmful and switch at any level. This was an enormous man, so it was dangerous.
A&E
One of many fascinating components of the present is after the seize whenever you get to know their story. What was it like so that you can have these fugitives confide in you?
That’s probably the most fascinating side of the job I believe, and what I regarded ahead to probably the most. Getting to talk to the fugitives after the arrest. Figuring out it’s in all probability one among, if not probably the most, weak moments of their lives. They’ve simply been arrested abroad wherein they’ve been operating from the legislation for a protracted time frame. It’s a chance whether or not they would discuss to me or not. I’ve to go in there very disarming and sincere and clear and so they must see me as genuine. That I’m not there as a cop or there to interrogate or incriminate them. I simply wish to know their story. I used to be shocked that they agreed to speak to me. Greater than all the pieces, I wished to resolve what life was like on the run. What’s it like being a fugitive? This man particularly. He was within the service right here within the U.S. How do you go from being an American hero to being a fugitive in Mexico?
What occurs to an individual to goes by means of that course of? How did you survive? Who helped you? The place did you reside? How did you generate profits? I wished to know all of the issues. I believe it comes from an angle of being nonthreatening and being actual. They’ll sense I’m not there to make them look unhealthy or incriminate them. I simply wish to know their tales. On the finish of the day, it’s them believing you. I used to be there for the arrest, so I can inform them, “I used to be there and heard the cops’ aspect of the story. Now inform me your aspect of the story. This can be the final time you possibly can say your aspect and model of the occasions.” Share with me. Even with cameras there generally, you suppose they are going to say no. Typically they do and don’t wish to discuss. For probably the most half, they gave me consent and opened up. That was very eye-opening. It makes them human. You understand they’re simply individuals who have made errors. Some are higher than others. And these are the results.
What are you able to tease in regards to the different takedowns you’re part of? Are there circumstances you’re genuinely fearful to your security?
It may well all flip harmful shortly. Some circumstances have been simpler than others. Some took extra time. Some have been very irritating as a result of there have been lengthy hours of surveillance the place nothing would occur. I don’t wish to give away an excessive amount of, however there have been circumstances I used to be obsessed with. There was one the place the fugitive scammed a whole lot of immigrants right here within the U.S. and took their life financial savings and pretended to be an immigration officer that will give them authorized standing within the U.S.
He did this to so many individuals and made a lot cash. He pretended to be an ICE or FBI agent. You’l must see how that unfolds, however that each one hit residence for me. I wished them to get them so unhealthy. I used to be very annoyed the place it appeared unimaginable as a result of he was good and knew how one can evade the legislation. That hit near residence. I’m the daughter of immigrants. That might have been my dad and mom and household. That might have been their life financial savings. I actually was rooting for the police to catch this man. It was very attention-grabbing however the one I used to be most obsessed with. There have been so many circumstances, and each one was completely different.
Fugitive Hunters Mexico premiere, January 2, 10/9c, A&E