Two people are in jail after a group of women were saved from captors in a sex trafficking ring investigation, authorities said.
“Within the span of just a few days, we’ve rescued eight women from the perils of human trafficking,” said Hillsborough County Sherriff Chad Chronister.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office received a tip about the potential trafficking ring and began investigating the situation. Women who owed money for being smuggled here from Cuba were being forced to commit commercial sex acts to repay their debts.
The investigation led the department to search two properties tied to the case in which they found multiple identifications of the victims along with cash, condoms, stolen weapons and other personal belongings, sheriff’s deputies. They arrested 39-year-old Ramon Maqueira De La Cal and 29-year-old Rosalia Leonard.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody commended the departments ability to swiftly find and shut down the atrocities being committed by the suspects.
“This is one of the worst trafficking cases I have ever seen,” said Moody “it hits on every point of what we train officers to look for in these cases across the state.”
Local authorities said both suspects in this case are facing 47 charges that include false imprisonment, human smuggling and human trafficking.
“These heartless individuals, who preyed on these eight women, will face the most severe consequences and never have the opportunity to ever victimize another human being,” said Chronister.
Counseling is being offered to all eight victims of the crimes, Hillsborough deputies said.
According to a sheriff’s news release:
The victims were driven to two separate locations thereafter, first, to a local gentleman’s club and later, to a gambling establishment. Through investigative means, detectives learned the women were forced to work at various clubs in both Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, in order to pay off their “travel debt” for being brought into the United States from Cuba. They were also forced to perform commercial sex acts through prostitution.
Throughout the course of the investigation, detectives also learned some of the victims were featured in advertisements on online escort sites.
To report trafficking crimes like this please call the Human Trafficking hotline at (888) 373-7888.
20-year-old pronounced dead in Ybor city shooting
A 20-year-old was shot and killed Sunday morning after fights broke out in the streets of Ybor city. The shooting occurred between the corner North of 16th street and East 7th Avenue around 2:50 a.m.
21-year-old Jatony Tykees Torres was arrested for aggravated battery and has since been charged with first-degree murder after an investigation by the Tampa Police Department.
The victim was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead later in the evening. The victim’s name was withheld by police.
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