HOUSTON — A Houston man pleaded responsible to a number of intercourse trafficking crimes and possession of kid pornography Feb. 27 following a Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance investigation performed by Homeland Safety Investigations (HSI) Houston, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Fee and the Houston Police Division.
A choose within the Southern District of Texas convicted Edgar Botello, 30, of conspiracy to intercourse trafficking; intercourse trafficking with power, fraud or coercion; and possession of kid pornography.
Botello labored along with his mom, Maria Botello-Morales, to run a cantina often called Puerto Algre, the place the pair pressured a number of ladies to interact in business intercourse in again rooms.
As a part of his plea, Botello admitted to threatening and intimidating the victims with violence to govern them into intercourse acts for his private monetary profit.
The victims reported that they began working as waitresses at Puerto Alegre. Nevertheless, Botello-Morales used Botello as her consultant and enforcer and informed them they needed to interact in business intercourse. In the event that they refused, she threatened them with violence. The ladies reported that Botello all the time carried a gun with him and infrequently threatened them.
A number of the victims witnessed violence and weapons on the bar and within the again space the place the intercourse acts occurred. Every described how they needed to take clients to the again rooms. They got a condom wrapped in a chunk of paper towel, they usually had been to spend fewer than quarter-hour within the room and cost roughly $70. Upon leaving, they needed to flip the cash over to Botello or the particular person guarding the room.
Regulation enforcement officers searched Botello’s residence on April 1, 2021. They discovered quite a few weapons in his room and a pc containing baby pornography.
Botello is scheduled to be sentenced June 12. He faces as much as life in jail for his intercourse trafficking convictions, and as much as 10 years for possessing baby pornography.
Botello will stay in custody pending sentencing.
Botello-Morales pleaded responsible on Jan. 30 for her position within the intercourse trafficking scheme and stays in custody pending her sentencing.
Assistant U.S. Lawyer Sherri L. Zack is prosecuting the case.
For extra information and knowledge on HSI Houston’s efforts to fight intercourse trafficking and baby exploitation in Southeast Texas comply with us on Twitter @HSIHouston.
HSI is the principal investigative arm of the U.S. Division of Homeland Safety (DHS), liable for investigating transnational crime and threats, particularly these felony organizations that exploit the worldwide infrastructure via which worldwide commerce, journey, and finance transfer. HSI’s workforce of greater than 8,700 staff consists of greater than 6,000 particular brokers assigned to 237 cities all through the US, and 93 abroad areas in 56 international locations. HSI’s worldwide presence represents DHS’s largest investigative regulation enforcement presence overseas and one of many largest worldwide footprints in U.S. regulation enforcement.