Illegal Alien Sentenced To 46 Months For Transporting Women For Interstate Prostitution Ring

            ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Angel Campos Tellez, 27, an illegal alien from Mexico, who lived in Greenbelt, Md., was sentenced today to 46 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to transport more than 100 women to engage in commercial sex acts in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.

            Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Kenneth T. Cuccinelli, II, Attorney General of Virginia; and John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C., made the announcement after sentencing by United States District Judge Claude M. Hilton.
            “There are many moving parts in the vile sex trafficking industry – the recruiters, the transporters, and the so called ‘pimps.’  Here, Tellez, a leader, drove victims up and down the eastern seaboard to be prostituted in various localities.  This reprehensible conduct will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride.
             “For three years, Campos Tellez led a network that exploited women to a dangerous life of prostitution, violence, and gangs,” said Cuccinelli. “Whatever their role may be in a sex trafficking ring, we want these criminals to know: we will find you, we will prosecute you, and we will lock you up for your crimes. Virginia will not turn a blind eye to this abusive and disgusting criminal enterprise.”

            “Protecting our communities from those who engage in human trafficking is a top priority for ICE Homeland Security Investigations," said John P. Torres, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Washington. "HSI special agents will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to identify victims of human trafficking and to pursue the criminals who prey on them."

            Campos Tellez pleaded guilty on March 27, 2013, to conspiracy to transport women to engage in prostitution. According to court records, from 2009 through July 2012, Campos Tellez was a leader of a network that transported women to engage in commercial sex acts in Manassas, Woodbridge, Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Newport News, Va., Baltimore, and Delaware.  As a leader, Campos Tellez was responsible for collecting prostitution proceeds, advertising the prostitution scheme, and obtaining lodging for the victims he prostituted.  Campos Tellez instructed the women he prostituted to charge $30 for 15 minutes of vaginal sex, and he personally received at least $15,000 in proceeds from commercial sex acts.

            This case was investigated by the Transnational Gang Unit of HSI, which is a member of the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force.  Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

            Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – along with nongovernmental organizations – dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.