April 1, 2008, 9:03PM
Two women sentenced in Houston sex ring case

By JENNIFER LEAHY
Copyright 2008 Houston Chronicle

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Two women who authorities say forced illegal immigrants to work as prostitutes in the Houston-area to pay off their smuggling debts were sentenced Tuesday in federal court.

Olga Mondragon and Maria Fuentes are two of eight people charged with participating in a years-long human smuggling ring that is estimated to have been one of the largest in the country.

The two have pleaded guilty to multiple charges stemming from the ring, authorities said.

Mondragon was sentenced to 84 months in prison and must pay a portion of more than $1.1 million in restitution to the victims. She will also serve three years supervised release and pay $1,300 in special assessments under the sentence imposed by U.S. District Judge Vanessa D. Gilmore.

Fuentes was convicted of aiding and abetting the harboring of illegal immigrants and was sentenced to time served, said her attorney, Ken McGuire.

Mondragon operated the El Huetamo Nite Club, also known as La Leona Club, in northwest Houston. Fuentes served as a bookkeeper and a bartender for several of the establishments.

For a fee ranging from $6,000 to $12,500, women were transported from Central America to Houston where they were employed as "bargirls" who entertained men in several restaurants and cantinas.

Of the $13 patrons paid per beer, $9 was applied to the smuggling debt. Fees for housing, clothing, transportation and money sent to relatives in Central America were added to the debt, court documents show.

"It's a difficult case — some of the girls wanted to work in the clubs, some of them didn't. Some wanted to stay in the U.S., some wanted to go home," said Don Lambright, Mondragon's attorney.

The human trafficking ring began around November 2001 and operated until December 2005 when it was discovered by law enforcement.

"These cases are a dime a dozen in Houston," said McGuire.

McGuire said his client knowingly participated in human smuggling but that the prostitution was not forced and the women were not captive.

"They had apartments, cars, cell phones. They got married, had babies," McGuire said.

Maximino Mondragon, Oscar Mondragon, Walter Corea and Victor Omar Lopez were all bar and restaurant operators who have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing, authorities said.

Codefendant Lorenza Reyes-Nunez was convicted of obstruction of justice and has been sentenced to 19 months in prison for working with Maximino Mondragon.

Kerin Silva was convicted of conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants and sentenced to 12 months home detention followed by three years of probation. According to court documents Silva transported the women to the bars and restaurants.

"I have heard from several sources that these bars are still up and running," McGuire added.

jennifer.leahy@chron.com

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