HOUSTON – Three men were sentenced to prison for smuggling women into the United States from Cuba and making them work in Houston-area strip clubs, the United States Department of Justice announced Wednesday.
Rasiel Gutierrez Moreno, 38, Hendry Jimenez Milanes, 39, and Rafael Mendoza Labrada, 29, were sentenced to 210, 120 and 34 months in federal prison. Moreno was ordered to pay $451,298 in restitution, while Milanes was ordered to pay $359,108, the DOJ said.
Recommended Videos
“These human smugglers terrorized female migrants, using Houston’s strip clubs combined with psychological threats and sexual violence for their personal financial gain,” said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. “The victims came to the United States in search of a new life, were especially vulnerable, and the defendants took advantage of that. The sentences imposed today send a strong message that the Southern District of Texas will not tolerate those who smuggle, threaten and abuse the vulnerable.”
According to a news release, Moreno pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and interstate travel in aid of racketeering on Oct. 28, 2021. As part of his plea agreement, investigators said he admitted to bringing women from Cuba to the United States and charging them inflated smuggling debts as high as $30,000. Investigators said Moreno forced the women to work in Houston-area strip clubs, such as Michaels’ International, where they danced and engaged in sex acts with club patrons. They allegedly had to provide all of the money to Moreno to pay down their debt. Moreno admitted to doing this to about 20 other women, according to the DOJ.
Moreno also reportedly admitted that in order to keep a victim under his control while she worked for him, he would brag about committing “acts of violence” against the women and their families. Investigators said on one occasion, Moreno beat another woman shortly before the other victim arrived at his home and made her look at the woman’s injuries. When the first victim escaped, Moreno allegedly contacted her family in both Miami and Cuba to demand she return to work and finish paying her debt to him.
The DOJ said Milanes pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2022, to coercion and enticement, while Labrada pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021, to interstate travel in aid of racketeering.
“These defendants cruelly used violence, threats of violence, and false debts to force vulnerable victims to engage in commercial sex,” Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said. “This kind of sex trafficking scheme is unlawful, dehumanizing and terrorizing to the women unable to break free. The Justice Department is committed to the vigorous prosecution of those who prey upon, abuse and exploit others for their own financial benefit.”
“The court’s sentence today sends a strong message: Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS ) is committed to making sure that those who commit sex trafficking face consequences for their criminal actions,” said Special Agent in Charge Wade Burton of DSS - Houston Field Office. “DSS’ strong relationship with the Department of Justice and other law enforcement agencies around the world continues to be essential in the pursuit of justice.”
DSS conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) with the assistance of the Homeland Security Investigations of Miami, Florida, and the Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division.
MORE STORIES
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE RESOURCES