03-25-2002 -- Jimenez-Calderon et. al. -- Arrests -- News Release

NEWARK - Four people appeared today before a federal Magistrate on charges that they smuggled teenage girls from Mexico and confined them to a house in Plainfield where they were forced to work as prostitutes, U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Christie announced.

The defendants were arrested Saturday night (two others remain at large) by Special Agents of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the US Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, and officers of the Elizabeth Police Department, who executed search warrants at three Elizabeth addresses. Two of the locations served as houses of prostitution and the third was owned by Maritza Lopez, one of the persons alleged to have run the prostitution ring, according to a criminal complaint unsealed with the arrests.

The teenage girls were lured from Mexico by two of the defendants after brief courtships and promises of marriage and a better life in the United States, according to the criminal complaint. The girls were allegedly told by these men that their sister in New Jersey could provide them with good work in the United States. Once here, however, they were virtually enslaved and forced to perform acts of prostitution at a rate of $35 per "John," Christie said.

"This was depraved, inhumane treatment of young, vulnerable girls," Christie said. "These defendants are accused of preying on the victims' hopes for a better life in this country. Stopping this trafficking in human beings will be a top priority of this office."

New tools were given to federal authorities in prosecuting such crimes with the enactment in October 2000 of the Victims of Sex Trafficking and Violence Protection Act. The prime sponsor of the law was New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith. The defendants are charged in part under this law (18 U.S.C. §1591(a)(1).

Each of the defendants is charged with conspiracy to commit the trafficking of children, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and $250,000 fine.

Arrested and appearing in court today were:

Antonia Jimenez Calderon, 38, a/k/a "Miriam Cortez"; Librada Jimenez Calderon, 32, a/k/a "Laura Cortez"; Angel Ruiz, 50, a/k/a/ "Rafael Antonio Ruiz"; and Maritzana Diaz Lopez, 37, a/k/a "Maritza." At their initial court appearances today before U.S. Magistrate Judge G. Donald Haneke, each of these defendants was ordered held without bail pending trial or further action of the court.

Still at large are Delfino Jimenez Calderon, a/k/a "Armando" and Luis Jimenez Calderon, a/k/a "Ulises."

At the Elizabeth locations raided Saturday, as well as other locations in Plainfield and Elizabeth, the Mexican girls - all believed to be juveniles in their teens whose ages are not precisely known - were confined and forced to have sex, sometimes as much as six times a day, according to the complaint. They were not allowed contact with anyone on the outside and were barred from talking even amongst themselves. The girls were under constant threat of being beaten and occasionally were, according to one of the victims identified as a cooperating witness in the complaint.

In the cases of the four Mexican girls described in the complaint, each was approached in Mexico by either Delfino Jimenez Calderon or Luis Jimenez Calderon. These defendants struck up relationships with the girls and within a week or so told the girls they loved them and wanted to take them to the United States for a better job and life. They arrived first in Queens, N.Y. or Union City, N.J. before being taken to Union County and then on to the house of prostitution in Plainfield.

The federal probe began following a Feb. 22 raid by Plainfield Police at a suspected house of prostitution at 1212 ½ West Front Street.

Among the prostitutes arrested were the four Mexican juveniles, as well as adult women. All of the adults were released after posting bond on the local charges. The juveniles were kept initially in juvenile custody in county-run facilities. They have since been relocated to a facility specializing in treatment of abused juveniles.

The investigation revealed that the four teenagers were being confined and forced to perform acts of prostitution on a daily basis. Miriam and Laura Jimenez both were also arrested on Feb. 22. The police investigation revealed that the location sold alcohol to patrons in addition to providing prostitutes.

Today's criminal complaint alleges that these defendants operated other houses of prostitution in Elizabeth. Saturday night's raids by INS and Elizabeth Police occurred at the following locations: 121 Catherine Street and 602B Livingston Street, Apr. 1, and at 230 Franklin Street, the home of Maritzana Lopez.

Lopez and Ruiz are believed to be the operators of the houses of prostitution.

Christie credited Special Agents of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, under the direction of District Director Andrea Quanantillo; Special Agents of the Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John McGlynn, officers with the Elizabeth Police Department, under the direction of Chief Jack Simon; officers with the Plainfield Police Department, under the direction of Chief Edward Santiago, and detectives with the Union County Prosecutor's Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Thomas V. Manahan, with bringing the case against the defendants.