More than a dozen people are behind bars after a Texas grand jury indicted 22 alleged gang members on charges including sex trafficking, drug dealing and human smuggling. Federal authorities revealed that 11 suspected members of the violent Southwest Cholos gang were arrested in Houston, Texas on Tuesday.
Two others were already behind bars on related charges. The FBI is seeking an additional nine suspected gang members who were charged, but are currently considered fugitives with outstanding warrants out for their arrests. Juan Carlos Contreras-Cervantes left and William Alberto Lopez were among the 22 alleged gang members a Texas grand jury indicted on charges including sex and human trafficking.
Prosecutors said that the 22 alleged members or affiliates of the violent Southwest Cholos gang targeted undocumented immigrants and forced them into service at brothels in the Houston area and in Mexico. The US Attorney's Office in the Southern District of Texas revealed that among the count indictment the gang members face are charges of conspiracy, sex trafficking, sex trafficking of a minor, transportation to engage in prostitution, transportation of illegal aliens, illegal dealing of firearms and aggravated identity theft.
In addition, they will face drug charges including possession with the intent to distribute heroin and methamphetamines. The gang's primary hub of activity was said to be the Carriage Way Apartment Complex in southwest Houston, which prosecutors said operated as a brothel, in addition to functioning as the gang's base of operations for their drug and firearms trafficking.
According to the indictment, the gang members allegedly promised those looking to be smuggled into the US that they could pay off their coyote debts by working in restaurants. But, when they arrived in Houston, the illegal immigrants were forced into prostitution at brothels operated by the gang members. The gang members would also tattoo their names and nicknames on the illegal immigrants as a way to 'identify them as their property and demonstrate control over them,' the Attorney's Office said.
