Nine Defendants Indicted for Multi-State Prostitution Network – Tennessee & Kentucky

U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Tennessee — May 9, 2011

On May 3, 2011, a federal grand jury in Greeneville, Tennessee, returned a 13-count indictment charging nine individuals with operating a prostitution network across Knoxville, Morristown, Johnson City, and Nashville, Tennessee, as well as Louisville, Kentucky.

The indictment alleges that the defendants recruited Hispanic women who were not legally present in the United States and transported them weekly between cities for more than four years. The network operated brothels and delivery services catering primarily to Hispanic clients.

The defendants face charges including:

• Conspiracy to transport individuals in interstate commerce for prostitution (maximum 20 years)
• Conspiracy to induce interstate travel for prostitution
• Conspiracy to operate brothels with undocumented individuals
• Conspiracy to transport and harbor illegal aliens (maximum 10 years)

Defendants named in the indictment:

• Reyna Rodriguez Rios, Eusebio Flores Martinez, Elda Dorali Moreno Ramirez — Knoxville, TN
• Rubio Trinidad Narciso, Rosa Garcia Menendez, Raymundo Sanchez-Torres — Morristown, TN
• Freddy Lopez Torres — Goodlettsville, TN
• Obdulio C. Morales, Esthela Silfa Vasquez — Louisville, KY

U.S. Attorney Bill Killian emphasized the collaborative effort of federal, state, and local agencies in combating human trafficking.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI, Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations, and the Hamblen County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Helen Smith represented the United States.

Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, May 9, 2011