In the early hours of August 17, 2025, a harrowing crime unfolded that would send shockwaves through two neighboring states and reignite heated debates over immigration enforcement. A woman, abducted from the bustling First Council Casino & Resort in Newkirk, Oklahoma, endured a nightmarish ordeal as she was forcibly taken across state lines and repeatedly assaulted before her dramatic rescue in Arkansas City, Kansas.
According to multiple law enforcement agencies and detailed reports from Fox News Digital, KCTV, and Gambling News, the incident began shortly after 1 a.m. when Arkansas City Police received a distressing call. A female caller reported that she had been kidnapped and was traveling with two men in a gray SUV in the 1600 block of South Sixth Street. Officers quickly sprang into action, locating the suspect vehicle in the 400 block of South Eighth Street just minutes later.
Inside the SUV, police found two men—later identified as 35-year-old Luis Miguel Dominguez-Barrios and 24-year-old Jose Fernando-Lux Morales—alongside the terrified victim. She told officers that she had been taken against her will from the casino and subjected to repeated sexual assaults during the journey from Oklahoma into Kansas.
The First Council Casino & Resort, owned by the Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Indians and known for its 1,200 slot machines and lively gaming tables, is located just six miles south of the Kansas border. The woman’s abduction from such a public venue underscored the brazenness of the crime and left casino staff and patrons deeply unsettled. The casino itself, when contacted by reporters, declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Emergency medical responders treated the victim at the scene before transporting her to a nearby hospital for further care. Police said she was safe and receiving support, but the trauma of the event was undeniable. The Arkansas City Police Department emphasized that their investigation remains active, with detectives continuing to collect evidence and interview witnesses.
As the details of the suspects’ backgrounds emerged, the story took on a wider significance. According to Fox News Digital and statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), both Dominguez-Barrios and Morales are Guatemalan nationals who entered the United States illegally. Dominguez-Barrios crossed the southern border on August 31, 2013, and was released by the Obama administration. He has a history of arrests, including convictions for disorderly conduct, domestic violence, and threatening a law enforcement officer. Morales, meanwhile, crossed the border illegally as an unaccompanied minor in 2018.
Both men were booked into the Cowley County Jail after their arrest. Dominguez-Barrios faces multiple felony charges: rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, and aggravated kidnapping, with his bond set at $1 million. Morales is charged with aggravated kidnapping and is being held on a $500,000 bond. Jail records confirm that both remain in custody as of August 20, 2025.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin did not mince words: "Depraved, violent predators like Luis Miguel Dominguez-Barrios and Jose Fernando-Lux Morales have no place in our country. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem’s leadership, vicious criminals who kidnap and sexually assault women will face the consequences for their heinous crimes and will never be allowed to prey on innocent Americans again."
McLaughlin went on to highlight the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in such cases: "ICE’s arrest detainers ensure these criminal illegal aliens never walk free on U.S. streets again." ICE has lodged detainers for both suspects, requesting that local law enforcement hold them for up to 48 hours beyond any scheduled release, allowing federal agents to assume custody and begin deportation proceedings if warranted.
The use of ICE detainers in this case—often a contentious issue in the broader immigration debate—was underscored by the department’s recent ramp-up in enforcement efforts. Under Secretary Kristi Noem and the Trump administration, DHS has initiated a major hiring campaign for additional ICE agents, with more than 100,000 Americans applying for the role, according to Fox News Digital. As of August 18, 2025, DHS reported over 359,000 arrests of illegal aliens and more than 332,000 removals this year alone.
Local authorities in Arkansas City, Kansas, have remained tight-lipped about specifics, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation. However, public records and statements from the Cowley County Sheriff’s Office confirm that Dominguez-Barrios is subject to an ICE immigration detainer and has a lengthy record in Kansas, including charges for failure to pay child support, failing to appear in court, operating a vehicle without a valid license, and domestic battery.
One lingering question has been the discrepancy in charges between the two suspects. While Dominguez-Barrios faces the full slate of sexual assault and kidnapping charges, Morales has, at least for now, only been charged with aggravated kidnapping. Law enforcement officials have not publicly explained this distinction, noting only that the investigation is ongoing and further charges could be considered as more information comes to light.
The case has drawn national attention, not only for the brutality of the crime but also for its intersection with ongoing debates about border security and immigration policy. Supporters of stricter enforcement argue that tragedies like this highlight the need for robust vetting and swift deportation of those who commit violent crimes after entering the country illegally. Critics, meanwhile, caution against generalizing from individual cases and stress the importance of due process and humane treatment for all immigrants, regardless of status.
As the legal process moves forward, the victim and her family are left to pick up the pieces. Community organizations in both Oklahoma and Kansas have offered support, and local leaders have called for continued vigilance and cooperation between state, tribal, and federal authorities to ensure public safety and justice for all involved.
While the specifics of the prosecution and possible deportation proceedings remain to be seen, this case stands as a stark reminder of the complex challenges at the intersection of crime, immigration, and public safety in modern America. The Arkansas City Police Department has urged anyone with information related to the incident to come forward as investigators work to bring the case to a just conclusion.
For now, two suspects remain behind bars, a community seeks answers, and the nation watches as the story unfolds—hoping for justice and, perhaps, for lessons that might help prevent such tragedies in the future.
