State Rep. calls for release of East Texan

HALLSVILLE – East Texas State Rep. Jay Dean is calling for the release of Caden Hawkins, a 22-year-old from Hallsville, that Dean said is being held as a cash asset in Mexico.
According to Dean, Hawkins was arrested as he was heading home from working on an oil field when his GPS led him across the border. Hawkins had a legally registered firearm in the vehicle when he was arrested. Dean told our news partners at KETK that he spoke with Hawkins’ family on Sunday. Hawkins has reportedly been held in Juarez, Mexico for the past 9 months. His family has been trying to secure his release for months and has had to pay thousands of dollars to try and help Caden.

“Hallsville native, 22 year old Caden Hawkins is being held as a cash asset for a corrupt federal judge in Juarez, Mexico. His family has been extorted for months, forced to pay over $1000 a week so Caden can have hot water, toilet paper and semi-protection from violent inmates,” Dean said on Sunday. “This is absolutely unacceptable and we need to ban together and force our federal government to BRING CADEN HOME.”

Dean asked the community to contact the following numbers in order to help bring Caden home before Christmas:

Department of State’s Overseas Citizens Services: 202-647-4000
Senator John Cornyn: 202-224-2934
Senator Ted Cruz: 202-224-5922
Congressman Nathaniel Moran: 202-225-3035
Attorney General Ken Paxton: 512-463-2100
Governor Greg Abbott: 512-463-2000

“He is our world. We want him home with us. I understand that there are alot of people that don’t understand this or have negative things to say and you are entitled to feel how you want to! I will tell you this no matter how you feel, I can promise you that our family doesn’t want anything except our son home,” Caden’s mother April Thomas said. “Caden is the type of person that would help anyone out and he has done it many times. He is not a criminal and doesn’t even have a criminal history! He is a good person and trusted his GPS. This has been our living hell for 9 months, 9 months too long. We are only asking for his story to be shared and for calls to be made! Please help us bring our boy home!”