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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADDITIONAL DEFENDANT AND CHARGES ADDED IN SUPERSEDING INDICTMENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY PROSTITUTION RING
Money Laundering and Aggravated Identity Theft Added to Indictment
GREENBELT, Maryland - A federal grand jury yesterday returned a superseding indictment charging eight individuals with crimes committed in connection with transporting illegal aliens from New Jersey and New York to Maryland to engage in prostitution and sexual activity, and harboring the aliens for financial gain.
The six-count indictment charges Elsy Aparicio, age 43; Eliazor Gonzalez Aparicio, age 29, Dorinalda Aparicio, age 34, and their mother, Olinda Aparicio, age 64; all of Gaithersburg, Maryland; Jair Francis, age 32, of Wheaton, Maryland; Rigo Diaz, age 31, of Gaithersburg, Maryland; Manuel Jandres, age 38, and his wife Rosibel Aparacio Jandres, age 44, both of Germantown, Maryland, with conspiring to transport individuals in interstate commerce with the intent that such individuals engage in prostitution and sexual activity; and conceal and harbor illegal aliens from detection.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that beginning at least in February 2004 to July 2005, the defendants conspired to employ prostitutes, the vast majority of whom were aliens unlawfully present in the United States. The defendants allegedly rented apartments and/or purchased homes in Maryland where they operated places of prostitution, and arranged to transport women from various locations in New York and New Jersey to Maryland, typically on Monday mornings, with the intent that these women engage in prostitution. They arranged to transport the women back to New York and New Jersey, typically on Sunday evenings.
The indictment further alleges that Elsy Aparicio, Eliazor Aparicio and Olinda Aparicio paid Jair Francis for information about law enforcement activity related to their prostitution business. Francis is alleged to have provided information to these defendants concerning law enforcement inquiries about prostitution businesses at the Georgian Woods Apartments in Wheaton, Maryland.
The new counts in the indictment allege that Elsy Aparicio, Manuel Jandres, Rigo Diaz and Rosibel Aparicio Jandres conspired to and committed money laundering by using the proceeds of the prostitution ring to purchase vehicles used in the transportation of the women, knowing that the purchases were designed to conceal the source of the funds. Further, the indictment alleges that Elsy Aparicio and Rigo Diaz purchased property using the proceeds of the prostitution ring, and alleges that Manuel Jandres and Rosibel Aparicio Jandres sold property bought with the illegal funds, in order to conceal the source of the funds.
The indictment further alleges that Jair Francis used the name and social security number of another person to lease in that person’s name, without that person’s permission, an apartment that was used as a place of prostitution, as part of the conspiracy to harbor an alien for financial gain.
Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to transport the aliens for prostitution purposes. Each defendant faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens for financial gain. Elsy Aparicio, Manuel Jandres, Rigo Diaz and Rosibel Aparicio Jandres face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on the money laundering conspiracy charge. Elsy Aparicio and Rigo Diaz face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $500,000 fine on one of the money laundering charges. Manuel Jandres and Rosibel Aparicio Jandres faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the other money laundering charge. Jair Francis faces a minimum mandatory two years in prison consecutive to any sentence on the harboring conspiracy charge, and a $250,000 fine for aggravated identity theft.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation; the Montgomery County Police Department; and the Prince George’s County Police Department. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Park and Gina Simms who are prosecuting the case.
This page last modified—June 13, 2006