Sex TraffickingArchive 2008–2016

Sex Trafficking in Cow Pen (2005)

A sex trafficking case from 2005 in Cow Pen, Belize.

This page describes exploitation and abuse. Need to report something? How to report →

Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?

What happened

-Walter Swazo: 24 year old male/ Honduran national. Common law husband of Celia Garcia (Co-trafficker with sister of victim) -Celia Garcia: 21 year old female/ Belizean national. Sister of victim (Co-trafficker with Walter Swazo) -Juan Santos Martinez: Salvadoran national. Purchased victim as personal sex slave Both Garcia and Swazo "sold" the victim (younger sister of Garcia) to Salvadoran national Juan Santos Martinez for an undisclosed price in Northern Belize. Once purchased the victim was transported through Guatemala into El Salvador as a sex slave/teenage bride to Martinez.

Response and intervention

Belizean and Salvadoran officials: Salvadoran officials apprehended Mr. Martinez and notified Belizean officials about the involvement of Swazo and Garcia, who were then apprehended. Result: - Walter Swazo and Celia Garcia were convicted of human trafficking charges by the Magistrate Court in Belmopan, Belize and sentenced to 1 year of prison. - Juan Santos Martinez received jail time in El Salvador.

Nearby cases

All 3 in Belize →

CSEC2012

Belize City, Belize, 2012

Belize BZ

According the Magistrates Court, fifty-four year old naturalized Belizean, Narciza Orellana of Santa Elena Town was found guilty on January 31, 2012 of Attempted Trafficking in Persons. Chief Magistrate Ann Marie Smith sentenced Orellana to eighteen months in prison. The charge is in relation to an incident on April 26, 2010 when Orellana attempted to recruit a female minor with intentions to use her as a commercial sex worker.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016

CSEC2012

Belize City, Belize, 2012

Belize BZ

On or about February 10, 2012, Yolanda Garcia, 41, was convicted and given a custodial sentence for trafficking of persons by Chief Magistrate Anne Marie Smith. Garcia is a hair dresser and manager of the La Serenita Bar located on Regent Street West. She is also a mother of three. According to the police, from June 29 to July 6 of 2010, she engaged in the trafficking of persons when she hired a 17 year-old female minor to work in her bar. The minor told police that she had just graduated from high school. This minor also said that Garcia allegedly told her that part of her job description is that she is required to have sex with customers for money.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016