Man who enslaved Central American women and girls imprisoned in US

May 5, 5:34 AMLaw Enforcement ExaminerJim Kouri

A Texas resident was sentenced on Monday to 13 years in federal prison for his role in smuggling Central American women and girls into the United States and enslaving them by having the victims perform forced labor.

The federal case resulted from a joint investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement bureau.

Maximino Mondragon was sentenced to 156 months in prison; with three years post release supervision, a $200 special assessment, and ordered to pay, jointly with his co-defendants, more than $1.7 million in restitution to the enslaved victims.

Mondragon is the last of eight defendants to be convicted and sentenced in connection with a forced labor scheme that coerced victims into service in restaurants, bars and cantinas, using threats to harm the victims and their families if they attempted to leave before paying off their smuggling debts.

"The victims in this case were subjected to horrible treatment at the hands of these defendants," said Tim Johnson, acting U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. "We will use every resource available to make certain that violations of this sort result in the maximum prison term available."

Mondragon previously pleaded guilty to the following violations: conspiracy to hold persons in a condition of indentured servitude; illegally and knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting persons for labor and services; and conspiracy to bring, harbor and transport known illegal aliens for purposes of commercial advantage and private financial gain.

The defendants lured Central American women to the United States with promises of good jobs. However, once the young women arrived, they were forced to work in the defendants' bars and cantinas selling high-priced drinks to male customers. The women were subjected to threats of harm to them and their families in order to compel their servitude.

Co-defendants Oscar Mondragon and Walter Corea were also convicted of both conspiracy counts and each sentenced to prison terms of 180 months. Co-defendant Victor Omar Lopez was sentenced to 109 months in prison on both conspiracy counts.

Co-defendant Olga Mondragon, who was convicted of multiple charges stemming from her involvement in these schemes to hold young Central American victims in a condition of forced labor and to smuggle the young women to the United States for financial gain, was sentenced to a prison term of 84 months.

Co-defendant Maria Fuentes was convicted of harboring the young women for financial gain and sentenced to 30 months in prison. Co-defendant Lorenza Reyes-Nunez was convicted of obstruction of justice and has been sentenced to 19 months in prison. Co-defendant Kerin Silva was convicted of conspiracy to smuggle aliens and sentenced to 12 months' home detention followed by three years of probation.

While the smuggled women were in the US illegally, the suspects all had proper immigration documents, according to officials.


Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org).  In addition, he's the former blog editor for the House Conservatives Fund's weblog.  Recently, the editors at Examiner.com appointed him as their Law Enforcement Examiner. Kouri also serves as political advisor for Emmy and Golden Globe winning actor Michael Moriarty.

He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations.  He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country.   Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for NewswithViews.com and PHXnews.com.  He's also a columnist for AmericanDailyReview.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com.   He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 300 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc.  If you wish to receive Kouri's emailed law enforcement and intelligence reports, write to him at COPmagazine@aol.com. Simply write "Free Subscription" on the subject line.