Three Cuban nationals were sentenced for their roles in a sex trafficking scheme that exploited women in Houston strip clubs. Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, and Rafael Mendoza Labrada were each sentenced to prison time and ordered to pay restitution for their crimes.
Gutierrez Moreno, 38, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and interstate travel in aid of racketeering on October 28, 2021. As part of his plea agreement, he admitted to bringing women from Cuba to the United States and imposing on them inflated smuggling debts as high as $30,000. The victims were forced to work in Houston-area strip clubs, such as Michaels’ International, where they danced and engaged in commercial sex acts with club patrons.
Gutierrez Moreno further admitted to smuggling and imposing debts to coerce approximately 20 other women in this manner. To keep one of his victims under his control, he bragged about his acts of violence against other women and their families. On one occasion, he beat another woman shortly before she arrived at his home and ensured that the victim observed the woman’s injuries.
Jimenez Milanes, 39, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement on January 10, 2022. Mendoza Labrada, 29, pleaded guilty to interstate travel in aid of racketeering on April 30, 2021. The sentences imposed on the three defendants send a strong message that the Southern District of Texas will not tolerate those who smuggle, threaten, and abuse vulnerable individuals.
The victims in this case were especially vulnerable, having come to the United States in search of a new life. The defendants took advantage of their situation and subjected them to psychological threats and sexual violence. The sentences imposed on Gutierrez Moreno, Jimenez Milanes, and Mendoza Labrada will help to bring justice to the victims and their families.
Gutierrez Moreno was sentenced to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $451,298 in restitution. Jimenez Milanes received a 120-month prison sentence and was ordered to pay $359,108 in restitution. Mendoza Labrada was sentenced to time served of 34 months.
The case was investigated by the Diplomatic Security Service as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA), with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Miami and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
Related Federal Cases
- Demecia Shontres Washington, Child Sex Trafficking, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Maria Botello-Morales, Sex Trafficking by Force, Texas 2015 · Texas
- Maria Botello-Morales, Sex Trafficking with Force, Texas 2024 · Texas
- Javon Yaw Opoku, Sex Trafficking of Minors, Texas 2023 · Texas
- Nathan Oliva, Child Sex Trafficking, Texas 2023 · Texas
Key Facts
- State: Federal
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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