Mexican national sentenced to 10 years for transporting woman to engage in commercial sex

HOUSTON – A 42-year-old citizen of Mexico has been ordered to prison after recruiting an 18-year-old victim, abusing her, and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts.

Clemente Melendez Gutierrez pleaded guilty Aug. 1.  

U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett has now ordered Melendez Gutierrez to serve a total of 120 months in federal prison, the statutory maximum.

“The damage inflicted by this defendant is immeasurable. Melendez Gutierrez subjected his victims to years of physical, mental, and sexual abuse in pursuit of his own personal profit,” said Ganjei. “Today’s sentence underscores our office’s steadfast pursuit of those who prey upon and exploit women for financial gain. Let it be known – human trafficking has no home in the Southern District of Texas.”

“The defendant preyed upon this vulnerable victim and used physical abuse to coerce her to travel to the United States and to engage in commercial sex for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “This sentence reflects the severity of the defendant’s conduct, and the DOJ will relentlessly prosecute and hold accountable those who abuse and exploit others for financial gain.”

“Today’s sentence brings long-awaited, and overdue, justice for the victim who was subjected to years of abuse and exploitation at the hands of Melendez Gutierrez,” said FBI Houston Special Agent in Charge Douglas Williams. “Unfortunately, the physical, mental, and emotional manipulation and trauma the victim suffered at the hands of this ‘suitor-turned-monster’ will remain with her forever. His long-awaited prison sentence reflects the tireless work and unwavering dedication of the investigators, victim specialists, and prosecutors who through the years stood alongside the victim to ensure her voice was heard and her suffering acknowledged. While no prison sentence can erase the pain and trauma his victims endured, our hope is that today’s outcome represents accountability, justice, and a step toward healing and hope.”

“With today’s sentence, we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who used physical and sexual abuse, threats of violence and psychological manipulation to groom and control his victims and force them to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said Special Agent in Charge Chad Plantz of Homeland Security Investigations Houston. “Working alongside our partners, we exposed his criminal scheme and helped ensure he was held fully accountable for his actions and the harm caused to the victims.”

Melendez Gutierrez recruited the 18-year-old victim in 2007 using the false pretense of a romantic relationship. After meeting her in person in Mexico, he transported her away from her home, isolated her at his parents’ house and told her she was going to have to start working in commercial sex. When she refused, Melendez Gutierrez physically abused her—dragging her by the hair and punching and kicking her—then made her engage in commercial sex acts at a hotel in Mexico.

Several days later, Melendez Gutierrez had the victim smuggled across the U.S. border and traveled with her to Houston. Following their arrival, he told the victim she owed him thousands of dollars for her transportation and told her that she would have to work at a cantina and engage in commercial sex in the hidden back rooms of the cantina to repay her debt.

Melendez Gutierrez set a quota for how much money the victim had to make each night, and he was violent with her when she did not work enough or make enough money. Melendez Gutierrez had the victim work at multiple cantinas and other locations until she was finally able to get away from him in 2013.

Between 2005 and 2021, Melendez Gutierrez repeated this pattern of conduct multiple times with different women and girls.

The FBI Houston Field Office, Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission conducted the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Valenti of the Southern District of Texas prosecuted the case along with Trial Attorneys Lindsey Roberson and Matthew Thiman of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.