FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT
AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or
MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885
July 1, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONSPIRATOR IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
PROSTITUTION RING SENTENCED TO 41 MONTHS IN PRISON
Greenbelt, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams sentenced Eduardo Puentes, a/k/a “Carlos,” a/k/a “The Colombian,” age 43, of Rockville, Maryland, today to 41 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to transport at least 100 women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.
According to testimony at his one and a half week trial, each week from September 2003 to November 2005, Puentes conspired with others to transport women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes.
Witnesses testified that Puentes and his co-conspirators communicated with these women by cell phone at least a week prior to their travel to Maryland, and scheduled them to work in brothels that they operated in Prince George’s County, Maryland. 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. Puentes and co-conspirator Aida Pereira rented apartments in Maryland for use as places of prostitution. A doorman collected money from customers and provided security for the prostitutes. The conspirators provided the prostitutes with food and supplies for a set weekly fee. Witnesses testified that Puentes and Pereira collected the money from the places of prostitution and then distributed the proceeds among the co-conspirators. The conspirators would return the prostitutes to New York and New Jersey on Sunday evenings, and then travel back to Maryland the next day with a new group of prostitutes.
According to trial testimony, Puentes assisted in purchasing, registering and insuring vans used to transport the prostitutes; renting apartments for use as brothels; collecting money from the brothels; delivering supplies, such as condoms; and standing watch over the brothels to protect them from robberies.
Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the conspirators operated at least five different brothels in Maryland, including apartments in Langley Park, Maryland.
Co-conspirators Aida Pereira, a/k/a “Paty,” age 36, of Silver Spring, Maryland; Iris Y. Martinez-Solarzano, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland; and Jose Hugo Chacon Roque, age 46, of Hyattsville previously pleaded guilty to the same charge and were sentenced to 27 months, 32 months, and 18 months in prison, respectively.
United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Park and Christen A. Sproule, who prosecuted the case.