Princeton police announced on Monday that they uncovered a significant labor trafficking operation earlier this spring in Collin County, following a welfare check at a residence on the 1000 block of Ginsburg Lane on March 13.
Responding to a report of suspicious circumstances, officers obtained a search warrant for Santhosh Katkoori’s home, where they discovered 15 adult women allegedly compelled to work for multiple shell companies owned by Katkoori and his wife, Dwaraka Gunda. The victims, both women and men, were reportedly engaged in programming work. During the search, police seized several laptops, phones, printers, and fraudulent documents.
Subsequently, investigators determined that the forced labor operation extended to multiple locations in Princeton, Melissa, and McKinney. Additional laptops, phones, and documents were seized from these locations as part of the ongoing investigation.
The arrest affidavit, obtained by NBC 5, indicated that Princeton police were alerted to the operation by a pest control technician who noticed suspicious conditions while treating the residence for bed bugs. The technician reported observing 15-20 young women sleeping on bed rolls and numerous suitcases in the living area.
According to the affidavit, the women told police they were lured to Princeton under the guise of an “internship” where they would apply for jobs and learn Javascript programming. Allegedly, once they secured employment, the money earned went to Katkoori’s company, with the victims receiving only a portion of their earnings.
Princeton police confirmed that after analyzing seized electronics and verifying the nature of the operation, they issued arrest warrants for four individuals charged with trafficking of persons, a second-degree felony. The suspects include Santhosh Katkoori, 31, and Dwaraka Gunda, 31, both of Melissa; Chandan Dasireddy, 24, of Melissa; and Anil Male, 37, of Prosper.
The investigation remains active, with authorities indicating that additional charges against multiple parties are anticipated. Anyone with information regarding the labor trafficking operation or who may have been a victim is urged to contact the Princeton Police Department at 972-736-3901 or call 911 immediately.
