FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACTAUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at 410-209-4885

JUNE 25, 2007

WHEATON MAN SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRACY TO TRANSPORT HUNDREDS OF PROSTITUTES TO MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTIES

GREENBELT, Maryland - U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced Jair Francis, age 34, of Wheaton, Maryland today to 44 months in prison followed by 2 years of supervised release following his conviction on December 19, 2006 by a federal jury of conspiracy to transport hundreds of women for prostitution purposes to Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens and aggravated theft, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein. Seven other defendants have pleaded guilty to their involvement in the prostitution ring and money laundering activities.

U. S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said, “Mr. Francis was involved in a conspiracy to transport illegal aliens into Maryland to work as prostitutes. That sort of trafficking in human beings cannot be tolerated in America.”

According to trial evidence and court documents, the defendants conspired to employ prostitutes, the vast majority of whom were aliens unlawfully present in the United States. The defendants 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.

Elsy Aparicio, age 31, Eliazor Aparicio, age 31, and their mother, Olinda Aparicio, age 65, all of Gaithersburg, paid Jair Francis for information about law enforcement activity related to their prostitution business. Francis informed these defendants of law enforcement inquiries about prostitution businesses at the Georgian Woods Apartments in Wheaton, Maryland. 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 for prostitution.

Elsy, Eliazor, and Olinda Aparacio pled guilty to conspiracy to transport hundreds of women for prostitution purposes, and Elsy also pled guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering, on November 13, 2006. Olinda Aparacio was sentenced to 15 months in prison. Elsy and Eliazor Aparacio face a maximum sentence of five years for the prostitution conspiracy. Elsy Aparicio also faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for the money laundering conspiracy.

Dorinalda Aparicio, age 36, of Gaithersburg, Manuel Jandres, age 39, and Rosibel Jandres, both of Germantown, Maryland, pled guilty to conspiracy to transport women for prostitution purposes. Rosibel Jandres was sentenced to two years in prison. The other two defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised 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 for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Park and Gina Simms, who prosecuted the case.