Four 17-year-olds in Travis County face aggravated kidnapping charges after a February incident near Del Valle High School where a classmate was allegedly lured to a garage, bound, beaten, and threatened while one suspect recorded parts of the attack.

Four teenagers — Jose Rojas-Alvarado, Oscar Armando Santiago-Martinez, Angel Lemus-Perez, and Carlos Roberto Oliva-Villeda — are charged with aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon in Travis County. Court records say Lemus-Perez also faces an organized criminal activity charge, and if convicted the group faces sentences ranging from five to 99 years in prison.

According to arrest affidavits cited by local reporting, the alleged assault was not a spur-of-the-moment fight but a planned attack. Investigators say at least one suspect admitted they had plotted for days, and another allegedly filmed the incident on a phone, suggesting coordination rather than chaos.

The events unfolded on February 19 when the victim left Del Valle High School with three of the suspects and was driven to a nearby farm where a fourth suspect waited inside a garage. Once inside, the victim was allegedly held at gunpoint, bound with duct tape, and forced to consume alcohol before being assaulted with aluminum bats, a walking cane, and a belt.

During the attack, deputies say the suspects threatened to kill the victim and warned they would harm his family if he went to police. After being released, the victim went straight to law enforcement, and investigators reported injuries consistent with his account of heavy bruising and sustained violence.

The motive reported to authorities was simple and chilling: the victim had been talking to one of the suspects’ girlfriends. That exchange was described to police as the reason for a planned abduction and a prolonged beating carried out by four armed teenagers.

The Del Valle Independent School District confirmed the suspects are not currently enrolled and issued a brief statement acknowledging the situation. The district said it is “aware of the reports of an off-campus incident that resulted in the arrests of former DVISD students.”

The district added that “the incident is being actively investigated by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office” and that it “does not have further information at this time.” Officials also said, “The safety of our students and staff is our top priority, and we will continue to monitor this incident.”

“I thought it was insane, especially at our school. It’s just crazy how strong that person would have to be to report it and just stay alive, honestly.”

Students say the news has left the campus shaken and anxious about safety when former students can allegedly interact with current ones so easily. One student described a campus mood of disbelief and fear as classmates grapple with how such a planned attack could happen near school grounds.

“Everyone’s pretty spooked… Everyone’s been like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t believe this is happening.'”

Investigators emphasize the premeditation details: three suspects escorted the victim from school while one was already positioned at the garage, and multiple participants reportedly admitted to planning the assault ahead of time. The presence of a firearm, binding materials, and recording equipment raises questions about motive and intent beyond a juvenile scuffle.

The organized criminal activity charge against Lemus-Perez signals prosecutors may view this as coordinated criminal conduct rather than a single incident. In Texas, that charge is applied when criminal acts are carried out as part of a coordinated scheme and carries separate penalties that prosecutors can use to pursue harsher outcomes.

Many specifics remain undisclosed: the victim’s name has not been released, the exact farm location has not been made public, and it is not clear which suspect filmed the assault or whether all four acknowledged involvement. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate, and no trial dates or court assignment details have been reported.

The case raises practical questions for the Del Valle community about campus access and the ability of former students to interact with current students near school grounds. Families and school officials are now facing pressure to clarify what safeguards exist to prevent outsiders from luring students off campus.

Legal decisions ahead could include whether prosecutors seek to certify the teenagers as adults, a move that would significantly change potential penalties and court procedures. With allegations that include weapon use, premeditated planning, recorded evidence, and threats to kill, the choice to pursue adult charges will be a major factor in how the case moves forward.