October 12 2007
FOUR CONSPIRATORS SENTENCED IN SCHEME TO TRANSPORT HUNDREDS OF PROSTITUTES TO MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES
Vast Majority Were Illegal Aliens Transported from New York and New Jersey
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced four Maryland defendants this week in connection with a scheme to transport across state lines hundreds of prostitutes to Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
Judge Williams sentenced Manuel Jandres, age 40, of Germantown today, to 15 months in prison, followed by two years of supervised release; Eliazor Aparicio, age 31, of Wheaton, on Tuesday, October 9, to 18 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to transport prostitutes; Elsy Aparicio, age 35, of Gaithersburg, on Wednesday to 30 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to transport prostitutes and for money laundering conspiracy. Judge Williams sentenced Rigo Diaz, age 32, also of Gaithersburg, yesterday to five months in prison, followed by five months of home detention with 50 hours of community service for conspiracy to employ illegal aliens.
As part of their plea agreements and convictions, Judge Williams also ordered that the defendants forfeit approximately $117,000 in cash and proceeds, as well as a 1999 Toyota Sienna and a 2000 BMW.
According to their plea agreements, from April 2003 to November 16, 2005 Eliazor Aparicio, his sisters Elsy Aparicio and Dorinalda Aparicio, their mother Olinda Aparicio, their aunt, Rosibel Aparicio Jandres and her husband Manuel Jandres, Rigo Diaz and Jair Francis, conspired to transport hundreds of women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland and employ them as prostitutes. Elsy Aparicio also pleaded guilty to a money laundering conspiracy.
The conspirators communicated with the women by cellular telephone at least a week prior to their travel to Maryland, and scheduled them to work in at least 15 places of prostitution that they operated, including apartments and houses in Gaithersburg, Germantown, Langley Park and Wheaton. The conspirators picked the women up early on Monday mornings at pre-arranged locations in New York and New Jersey and dropped them off in Maryland where they worked as prostitutes for a week at a time. A doorman collected money from customers and provided security for the prostitutes. The conspirators provided the prostitutes with food and supplies for a weekly fee. One of the vehicles used to transport the women to and from the New York and New Jersey area was purchased in the name of Jandres and her husband. The vast majority of the women they employed as prostitutes were aliens unlawfully present in the United States.
Olinda Aparicio, age 66, of Gaithersburg pleaded guilty and was previously sentenced to 15 months in prison. Rosibel Aparicio Jandres, age 45, of Germantown and Dorinalda Aparicio, age 36, of Gaithersburg, also pleaded guilty and were each sentenced to two years in prison.
Jair Francis, age 34, of Wheaton, Maryland was convicted on December 19, 2006 of conspiracy to transport women for prostitution purposes, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and aggravated identity theft. He was sentenced to 44 months in prison.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the Montgomery County Police Department; and Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Park and Gina Simms, who are prosecuting the case.
