Category: USDJ Human Trafficking

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

HOUSTON – A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to federal prison for sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl for commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Antonio Dario Osoria-Avelar aka Pressure pleaded guilty April 18, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Osoria-Avelar to serve 360 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court heard additional information about his significant criminal history. He also gave a different minor victim to a criminal associate. The court also heard testimony from the victim who, with grace and strength, detailed how Osoria-Avelar’s actions destroyed her familial relationships. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hanks noted although Osoria-Avelar attempted to claim immaturity, he still knew what he was doing and manipulated people and lost. Additionally, Judge Hanks noted Osoria-Avelar was a danger to those around him, and his actions will affect every relationship the victim has and will have.  

Osoria-Avelar will also serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

“Osoria-Avelar claimed immaturity caused him to force a 16-year-old to walk the Blade, a notorious area known for prostitution. There is a difference between immaturity and evil, and Osoria-Avelar is evil,” said Hamdani. “Those like Osoria-Avelar who take what they want by means of force or intimidation will never acquiesce to societal norms. Judge Hanks’ 30-year sentence protects society’s most vulnerable from predators like Osario-Avelar.”

“With today’s sentence we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who used physical and sexual abuse, threats of violence and psychological manipulation to groom and control a minor victim and force her to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). “The unspeakable atrocities that he committed to break her down and control every aspect of her life are truly abhorrent, but unfortunately are all too common among human traffickers. HSI remains committed to continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue the vile human trafficking organizations preying on our most vulnerable populations and to help connect victims with the trauma-informed services that they need to recover from their nightmare.”

Osoria-Avelar trafficked a 16-year-old minor female for commercial sex during January 2023, with barely any clothes on in freezing temperatures. After recruiting her in Dallas, he brought her and another adult female he controlled to Houston to engage in commercial sex.

Osoria-Avelar manipulated the minor victim, provided her with a phone to track her and frequently brandished a firearm in her presence.

Throughout the time the minor victim was with him, Osoria-Avelar supplied her with drugs and condoms. He directed when she ate, slept and worked. He also set a daily quota of $500 for her and coerced her into walking the “track” and appearing in online ads for commercial sex.

When he was not causing her to engage in commercial sex, Osoria-Avelar was having violent sex with her himself, knowing she was just 16 years old. He also had the minor victim record videos of herself engaging in sex acts and sell them. Osoria-Avelar took all proceeds.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department, Texas Juvenile Justice Department – Office of Inspector General as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

Defendant met victim when he served as a security guard at residential program for pregnant teens

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

HARRISONBURG, Va. – A Maryland man, who used the drug dependency of at least three adult women to compel them to engage in commercial sex work, pled guilty today to federal charges.

William O’Neil Murray III, 36, pled guilty today to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion.

According to court documents, beginning in December 2021 and continuing through July 2022, Murray engaged in a multistate sex trafficking operation involving at least three adult female victims.  Murray recruited and coerced his victims into sex work using their drug dependency as his primary method of control.

Murray controlled his victims’ narcotics use, not allowing them to obtain drugs from anyone but himself, therefore taking complete control of each victim’s drug dependency. Murray would withhold drugs from his victims if they did not follow his directions or engage in commercial sex.  Many of the victims described becoming “dopesick” when Murray withheld drugs from them. Thus, Murray stood between them and the threat of withdrawal. Murray knew that  withholding drugs from the victims would have a coercive effect and incentivize them to obey him.

Murray managed every aspect of the commercial sex transactions. The defendant used various commercial sex websites, such as Skipthegames.com to set up dates with commercial sex customers, set the prices, booked the hotel rooms, and transported his victims to the dates. Murray received all the proceeds from the commercial sex acts.

Murray maintained strict control over his victims’ activities including requiring them to stay in communication with him while they completed their commercial sex “dates.” Victims were not allowed to go anywhere without Murray’s permission and were punished if they did so. 

The criminal behavior occurred in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Florida.

U.S. Attorney Christopher R. Kavanaugh, Stanley M. Meador, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Richmond Office and Colonel Gary T. Settle, Superintendent of the Virginia State Police made the announcement.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s I-81 Human Trafficking Task Force (I-81 HTTF) and the Virginia State Police are investigating the case.

The I-81 HTTF is a collaborative effort of law enforcement and community partners focused on identifying instances of human trafficking along the I-81 corridor in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland; prosecuting those responsible; and providing assistance to the victims impacted by these crimes.  The I-81 HTTF includes law enforcement from the counties of Frederick, Clarke, and Shenandoah as well as the cities and towns of Front Royal, Hagerstown, and Frederick, Maryland, and Lord Fairfax Community College.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melanie Smith, Sally Sullivan and Trial Attorney Christina Randall-James with the Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit of the Department of Justice are prosecuting the case for the United States.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

NEWARK, N.J. – Four individuals have been charged with operating a series of illicit massage parlors in New Jersey and New York, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced today.

Zhejun Piao, 37, a Chinese national, Miyeon Choi, 37, a South Korean national, Shangxian Cui, 36, Chinese national, and Meixiang Jin, 34, of Palisades Park, New Jersey, are charged by complaint with one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise. All four defendants were arrested on Aug. 8, 2024 and made their initial appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court. They were all released.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

From at least May 2017, the defendants owned, operated, and derived money from illicit massage parlors or spas in New Jersey and New York that, as the defendants knew, had been offering sexual services in exchange for money. The New Jersey spas include Coco Spa in Paterson, Gold Spa in Passaic, 785 Spa in Passaic, Bergen Acupressure in Fairview, Queen Spa in Edgewater, Hawaii Spa in Edgewater, Good Day Spa in East Brunswick, and Spa Wellness in Toms River. The New York spa includes New Soothing Day Spa in New Rochelle. 

Each of the spas allegedly advertised sexual services on various online platforms by posting images of the female sex workers and describing the sexual services offered. Law enforcement obtained evidence demonstrating each of the defendants’ personal knowledge of, and involvement in, the illegal operation. For example, emails obtained by law enforcement show that Choi received what appear to be draft advertisements for the spas, and other emails and records show Choi and Piao transferred cryptocurrency to an online advertisement company. Law enforcement also observed Cui transport supplies, including mouthwash and paper towels, to the spas, make suspected cash pickups, and deposit over $50,000 of cash with Jin to a bank account.

The charge of conspiracy to commit interstate travel or transportation in aid of a racketeering enterprise carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

U.S. Attorney Sellinger credited special agents of Homeland Security Investigations Newark, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker; the U.S. State Department, Diplomatic Security Service; and the New Jersey State Police, under the direction of Col. Patrick J. Callahan, with the investigation. He also thanked HSI New York, Hudson Valley Office; Customs and Border Protection; the Passaic County Prosecutors Office; Passaic County Sheriff; Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office; Bergen County Sheriff; Edgewater Police Department; Fairview Police Department; Paterson Police Department; East Brunswick Police Department; New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice; South Toms River Police Department; Edison Police Department; South Toms River Police Department; Morris County Prosecutor’s Office; Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office; New Rochelle Police Department; Westchester District Attorney’s Office; Federal Air Marshals; New York State Police; ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations; and the Palisades Park Police Department

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Casey S. Smith and Javon Henry of the General Crimes Unit in Newark. 

The charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

DEL RIO, Texas – A McKinney man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 30 months in prison for conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens.

According to court documents, on July 26, 2022, Draivon Rashon Dixon, 33, approached a U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Carrizo Springs in an SUV. Agents encountered three undocumented noncitizens attempting to conceal themselves in the vehicle. Agents also recovered a 9mm pistol and 18 rounds of ammunition inside the vehicle. A jury found Dixon guilty at trial on Jan. 18, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

USBP investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ekua Ayatra Assabill and Jayvee Rhoda prosecuted the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Antonio Franco is handling asset forfeiture.

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Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

INTERPOL Washington, with support from the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), has deployed advanced technology and software solutions in Trinidad and Tobago that will help law enforcement detect and interdict transnational criminals and terrorists traveling through the nation. Trinidad and Tobago is now the second nation in CARICOM to implement these sophisticated border security enhancements, following Barbados’s announcement on July 26.

“This tremendous milestone underscores the vital importance of international partnerships in enhancing border security,” said INTERPOL Washington’s lead for Project Terminus, Keith Hood. “By working together with Trinidad and Tobago, we are fortifying not only their borders but also the security of the entire Caribbean region and beyond. Collaborative efforts like these are essential in our global fight against crime and terrorism.”

Through Project Terminus, an INTERPOL Washington team successfully installed two custom software solutions: the Stolen and Lost Travel Documents (SLTD) Workbench and the Stolen Motor Vehicles (SMV) Workbench, both developed by INTERPOL Washington. These systems empower Trinidad and Tobago to efficiently share, manage, and extend vital document and vehicle information with 195 other INTERPOL member nations.

The newly installed applications include 11,000 test records and 243 live records that have already been successfully uploaded to the INTERPOL SLTD database. The SLTD Workbench solution has also been used to extend 100 expiring records. They also enhanced critical day-to-day operations for INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Trinidad and Tobago.

Lt. Col. Michael Jones, Executive Director of CARICOM IMPACS, stated that crime and criminality is an issue that affects everyone in the region. “It is for this reason that collaboration among agencies is important to combat the effects of crime and terrorism that are plaguing our Member States. CARICOM IMPACS is pleased to partner with and support Project Terminus as we work together to reduce and eliminate the impact of this scourge.” 

The success was achievable through funding from the U.S. Department of State Counter Terrorism Bureau and close coordination with NCB Trinidad and Tobago.

INTERPOL Washington’s Project Terminus, a collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of State, aims to enhance INTERPOL screening and record submission by member countries by providing cutting-edge computer hardware and custom software solutions. These initiatives are designed to streamline service adoption and maximize data usability and effectiveness.

Beyond its primary goal of capacity-building, Project Terminus is pivotal in supporting the broader U.S. government law enforcement mission. By fostering connections between U.S. government law enforcement agencies and partner nation entities, this project enhances the law enforcement capabilities of partner nations and helps build a safer world.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

TUCSON, Ariz. – Nathan Espinoza Jr., 22, of Surprise, was arrested last week for his role in recruiting a driver and coordinating the transportation of two undocumented noncitizens in March 2024, one of whom suffered fatal injuries after jumping out of the driver’s vehicle while it was moving. Espinoza was charged by criminal complaint with one count of Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit. 

The complaint alleges that, since at least March 2024, Espinoza has conspired with others to recruit drivers to transport undocumented noncitizens, in exchange for which he received approximately $1,000 per person transported into the United States. The complaint further alleges that Espinoza has acted as a middleman for other smuggling coordinators and has helped coordinate numerous smuggling loads, including the March 2024 smuggling event that resulted in the death of one of the noncitizen passengers.

A complaint is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This arrest is a result of the coordinated efforts of Joint Task Force Alpha (JTFA). Attorney General Merrick B. Garland established JTFA in June 2021 to marshal the investigative and prosecutorial resources of the Department of Justice, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, to combat the rise in prolific and dangerous human smuggling and trafficking groups operating in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Honduras. This work was recently expanded to Panama and Colombia. The Task Force focuses on disrupting and dismantling smuggling and trafficking networks that abuse, exploit, or endanger migrants, pose national security threats, and are involved in organized crime.

Homeland Security Investigations is conducting the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           24-MJ-03713-TUC-N/A (EJM)
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-107_Espinoza

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

 

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Jesus Alexandro Sanchez-Armenta, 23, of Phoenix, was sentenced last month by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 72 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised released. Sanchez-Armenta pleaded guilty to Conspiracy to Transport Illegal Aliens for Profit on February 22, 2024.

Sanchez-Armenta coordinated and/or recruited his co-conspirators, through social media sites, including Snapchat, to pick up undocumented noncitizens (UNCs) in Southern Arizona and to transport them further into the United States for profit. Sanchez-Armenta provided his co-conspirators with instructions on how and where to pick up the UNCs. Either he or another member of the conspiracy would provide the co-conspirators with GPS coordinates for where to pick up the UNCs, and then provided them with transportation routes designed to circumvent detection by law enforcement.

Homeland Security Investigations–Casa Grande and Customs and Border Protection’s United States Border Patrol–Tucson Sector conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Zander, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-23-0259-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-106_Sanchez-Armenta

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

BOSTON – Two years ago today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts formally announced the creation of the Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit (HTCRU). This specialized team – comprised of federal prosecutors, victim witness specialists and support personnel – is dedicated to protecting human rights and holding perpetrators of human trafficking accountable.

Since its establishment, HTCRU has become a leader within the Department of Justice in terms of prosecuting individuals who engage in human trafficking. 

“Today marks the two-year anniversary of the HTCRU, a unit that, I am sorry to say, has been a huge success because it has revealed how serious and widespread a problem human trafficking is in our communities. Commercial sexual exploitation of children and vulnerable adults has no place in the District of Massachusetts. The dedicated team in this unit has worked tirelessly to eradicate these harms and atrocities while also tackling allegations of excessive police force, hate crimes, and labor trafficking,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office is determined to hold traffickers liable for their deplorable crimes.”

Over the last two years, in close collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement partners, our Office has prosecuted over 20 cases with numerous defendants. For example, in U.S. v. Stavros Papantoniadis, the defendant was convicted at trial for forced labor charges. He was found guilty of forcing or attempting to force six victims to work for him while physically and mentally abusing them. The defendant also targeted immigrants who he could exploit due to their vulnerability. Additionally, Jimall Brown, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release after being convicted of sex trafficking a minor and two adults, while collecting all of the proceeds for himself and others.

This Unit has targeted not just traffickers but also the purchasers of sex who fuel the demand for exploited victims of sex trafficking. Our office has charged sex buyers federally where possible, such as in our recent prosecutions of US v. David Cannon / US v. Misael Medina / US v. Dmitri McKenzie, all for attempting to purchase sex with minors. In cases where there is not federal jurisdiction, we have worked to make state referrals to ensure that these sex buyers are held accountable.  

The HTCRU coordinates trainings, including survivor-led trainings to identify trends in the community while learning how the office can improve work with victims. Labor trafficking training has been provided to both federal employees and state inspectors to recognize key indicators of exploitation. This team also works with local and state law enforcement agencies, as well as non-government organizations, to hold predators accountable and protect survivors’ rights.

If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, please call your local police department or the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, or contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. 

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

DEL RIO, Texas – A Corpus Christi man was sentenced in a federal court in Del Rio to 46 months in prison for conspiracy to transport undocumented noncitizens, placing lives in jeopardy.

According to court documents, Thomas Bucciarelli, 40, failed to yield to law enforcement in Carrizo Springs on Aug. 20, 2022. Bucciarelli drove through red traffic lights and struck the driver’s side of a vehicle stopped at an intersection. Border Patrol agents located Bucciarelli’s vehicle in a parking lot, finding four passengers who were revealed to be undocumented noncitizens. Bucciarelli was taken into federal custody. He pleaded guilty to one count on Feb. 6, 2023.

U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza of the Western District of Texas made the announcement.

U.S. Border Patrol investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Markovits prosecuted the case.

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