HTRA conducted an investigation into reports that human trafficking involving prostitution and drug dealing were occurring at La Potra Bar on the 6100 block of Airline in Houston, TX. As a result, all four Honduran nationals were arrested in Oct 2009 and charged by criminal compliant with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The fourth man from Mexico was charged with Alien Smuggling. All men plead guilty to the offense charged to them, accept the 46 year old male, who committed suicide while in federal custody pending charge for Human Trafficking. In the FBI press release, U.S. Attorney Moreno had this to say about this case: "Often, victims of human trafficking who are forced into prostitution or forced labor are also forced to endure living and working among alien smugglers and drug dealers. This case, in which five defendants were arrest for various criminal offenses, illustrates the dark world within which the human trafficking victims are forced to exist until rescued or until they can escape, but it also demonstrates our continued commitment to rescue the victims and to prosecute not only the human trafficker but other offenders as well."
Location
United States · Aldine, Texas · 2009
(location generalized to protect survivors) Response & intervention
The investigation of the La Potra bar leading to the various charges against these defendants was conducted by the following HTRA member agencies: Houston Police Department, Harris County Sheriff’s Office, and the FBI. Assistant United States Attorneys Ruben R. Perez and Joe Magliolo prosecuted the case. The 29 year old Honduran national was charged and convicted as a result of the HTRA investigation into La Potra bar, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa Gilmore to 37 months in federal prison without parole. Judge Gilmore previously sentenced the 28 year old male to 14 months’ imprisonment and the 21 year old male to 37 months in federal prison for their drug dealing. The 27 year old Mexican national was sentence by U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt to 24 months in federal prison without parole for alien smuggling. The 29 year old, the 28 year old and 21 year old all pleaded guilty to the drug charges in April 2010, while the 27 year old pleaded guilty to alien smuggling in February 2010.
An investigation was conducted by members of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) into reports that human trafficking involving prostitution and drug dealing were occurring at La Potra bar on the 6100 block of Airline in Houston.
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