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Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara Announces Sentencing of Sex Trafficker
Bonifacio Flores-Mendez, 34, of Queens, New York, was sentenced to life in prison in connection with his co-leadership of a long-running sex trafficking conspiracy.
According to the indictment, Flores-Mendez, a Mexican national, has been engaged in the business of sexually exploiting vulnerable women for his own financial gain since at least 2001.
The sex trafficking conspiracy employed force, fraud, and coercion to make young women work as prostitutes against their will. The victims were subjected to physical and psychological harm, including assault, verbal abuse, and deprivation of food and shelter.
The indictment charges Flores-Mendez with sex trafficking, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. He was also ordered to forfeit approximately $1.7 million and pay $84,000 in restitution to a victim.
Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, ‘Bonifacio Flores-Mendez waged a decade-long campaign of terrorizing women, coercing them into prostitution, assaulting them, even attempting to run a victim over in his car and threatening the health of her infant child.’
Judge Katherine B. Forrest said, ‘We have to refuse to be a people who will allow such conduct to go unpunished, and the punishment must be severe.’
Flores-Mendez’s co-leader, Isaias Flores-Mendez, and 15 other defendants have pled guilty in connection with the sex trafficking conspiracy.
Defendant Information:
Defendant: Bonifacio Flores-Mendez
Criminal Charges: Sex Trafficking
City and State: New York, NY
Exact Date: May 22, 2023 (sentencing date)
Sentence or Outcome: Life in prison, $1.7 million forfeiture, $84,000 restitution
Dollar Amounts: $1.7 million (forfeiture), $84,000 (restitution)
Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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