Thread: Property owner "didn't know" about prostitution in

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Posted by Andy Wise
Property owner "didn't know" about prostitution in her home

Oct 24, 2006 07:16 PM EDT

MEMPHIS, TN -- She read the names on the federal indictment: "Leon, Flores, Reyes-Santillan..." and said she didn't recognize a single one.

But the indictment says one or more of the illegal aliens pimped other illegals out of Joyce Maharrey's rental house at 1104 North Holmes Road.

"I (didn't) know," said Maharrey. "They were good (tenants). Never give me no problem or nothing. They paid the rent on time, everything."

Maharrey said it was an English-speaking woman with the last name "Sanders" who paid the rent -- that's why she couldn't identify her tenants listed in the indictment. Raul Santillan-Leon, Raymundo Flores, Fernando Reyes-Santillan, Ramiro Sanchez-Garcia, Diego Cortes-Barrientos, Rafael Cortes-Barrientos, Martin Moreno, Eliseo Cortes-Barrientos, Rodolfo Cortes-Barrientos and Cristobal Flores Angeles were each named in the 15-count indictment on charges they harbored illegal alien women at six Memphis properties, enticed them to prostitution and laundered the profits.

"They had a number of people involved in the operation, and it continues to be an ongoing investigation," said U.S. Attorney David Kustoff at a news conference Monday.

According to the federal indictment, the customers would use poker chips or beads to show proof of purchase -- a system that came crashing down as part of operation "Latina Libre" earlier this month. The indictment said postings at the properties advertised $30 could buy a customer 15 minutes with an illegal alien.

At the suspects' initial court appearance Tuesday, Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker confirmed each of them is an illegal alien, too. None of them speaks English. None of them has an attorney. One of them, Raymundo Flores, is still at large.

Potential clients continue to cruise the former brothels in their truck to see it they're still open for business. Neighbors like Johnny Riley said it's been going on for months.

"You know they don't belong on this street because this is a circle and not that much traffic on it so you can tell it don't take long to tell what's going on," said Riley.







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This news story illustrates a point: undocumented immigrants are readily exploited by criminals. Manyof the cartels involved in illegal immigrant smuggling are also drug smugglers, and part of violent criminal gangs.

The most notorious gang is the Mara Salvatrucha. Do a web search and find out just ruthless they are. They are more than 30 states and many Latin American countries, especially Mexico and Central America.

I would not be surprised if every one of those prostitutes never engaged in that activity prior to immigrating to the U.Sl illegally. Once here, without papers or job skills, they can readily be forced into a life of prostitution.

Just my two cents.

I would not be surprised if every one of those prostitutes never engaged in that activity prior to immigrating to the U.Sl illegally. Once here, without papers or job skills, they can readily be forced into a life of prostitution

any women are vitimized when they come here illegally. The word needs to spread back to other young women before they make their "run at the border" that this happens. They need to know about the "rape trees" and gang rapes that occur during the crossings also.

These particular women will probably be given sanctuary.