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Published Saturday, February 18, 2006
FORT MYERS

Man Denies Selling Women as Slaves

A man has pleaded not guilty to charges he smuggled two Mexicans into the United States and sold them as part of a sex slave trade.

Eliseo Escalante Santizo, 30, an illegal Mexican immigrant living in Fort Myers, entered the plea in U.S. District Court on Thursday.

Santizo was arrested earlier this week on charges of human trafficking and forced prostitution.

The female victims, ages 24 and 14, were smuggled into the United States through Arizona in August and transported to Florida, said Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Doug Molloy. They were lured with a promise that they would work legally on an American farm, Molloy said.