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Mexican national pleads guilty to bringing sex slaves to Houston-area bars

03:44 PM CST on Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Associated Press

HOUSTON -- Salvador Fernando Molina Garcia, 37, an illegal immigrant, has pleaded guilty to smuggling girls and young women from Mexico into Houston and forcing them to work as prostitutes in local bars, according to federal officials.

The indictment accuses Garcia of conspiring to engage in sex trafficking. Also charged are Juan Carlos Salazar, 20, and Ivan Salazar, 18, along with their father, Gerardo Salazar, also known as “El Gallo,� and Angel Moreno Salazar, and Jose Luis Moreno Salazar.

Indictments are the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) and the Harris County Sheriff’s Department and other member agencies of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) in Houston, Texas.

The single count superseding indictment re-alleges that Gerardo Salazar, 40, is the leader of a group of men who smuggled minor girls and young women from Mexico into the United States. Using deception, threats of harm, physical force and psychological coercion, Salazar compelled their service for prostitution in Houston area bars.

Salvador Fernando Molina Garcia was allegedly a member of El Gallo’s group accused of providing women, all Mexican nationals, for purposes of prostitution.

Federal law prohibits persons from conspiring to use force, fraud and coercion to cause persons to engage in commercial sex acts, or to knowingly cause persons who have not yet attained the age of 18 to engage in these commercial sex acts.

Angel Salazar, Jose Luis Salazar, Juan Carlos and Ivan Salazar are in federal custody and will remain in federal custody pending trial. Salazar, the alleged leader of the group, remains a fugitive; a warrant for his arrest is outstanding.

Salvador Fernando Molina Garcia faces a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 3, 2006.

Anyone having information about the whereabouts of Gerardo Salazar, a.k.a. “El Gallo,� is urged to contact the FBI in Houston, Texas, at (713) 693-5000, or their nearest FBI office.

Anyone having knowledge of others subjected to similarly described conduct are urged to contact the Houston office of the FBI at the above number, or the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance through the Houston office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement at 281-774-4900.