Eight Venezuelan nationals have been charged in connection with a transnational commercial sex enterprise operating out of Nashville, Tennessee.
A four-count indictment unsealed in the Middle District of Tennessee details the charges against the defendants, who allegedly facilitated the arrival of victims into the United States and then exploited them through an illegal commercial sex operation. The defendants are accused of running the operation from July 2022 through March 2024.
According to court documents, the defendants used online commercial sex websites to advertise victims and directed buyers to engage in commercial sex acts at motels in Nashville. They then collected the proceeds for their own benefit.
The indictment highlights the defendants' ties to the Tren de Aragua gang, a transnational criminal organization known for its involvement in human trafficking and organized crime.
Federal authorities, including the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations, collaborated with state and local agencies to dismantle the operation.
Source: https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/eight-venezuelan-nationals-charged-offenses-related-their-roles-transnational-commercial-sex
Commentary
In the above matter, the victims are described as being trafficked into the United States and then exploited through a transnational commercial sex enterprise using online platforms. The defendants allegedly:
- Facilitated the victims' arrival in the U.S.
- Posted online advertisements for commercial sex.
- Directed buyers to motels where the victims were exploited.
- Collected proceeds from the victims' activities for their own benefit.
The press release emphasizes the coercive and exploitative nature of the operation, highlighting the trauma and manipulation involved.
According to the 2024 Trafficking in Persons Report by the U.S. Department of State:
- An estimated 27 million people globally are exploited for labor, services, and commercial sex.
- Children are particularly vulnerable, and child sex trafficking does not require proof of force, fraud, or coercion - any commercial sex act involving a minor is considered trafficking under U.S. law.
- Traffickers often use technology - including dating apps, online ads, and encrypted messaging - to recruit and exploit children.
Additional Sources: https://www.state.gov/reports/2024-trafficking-in-persons-report/ and https://www.justice.gov/d9/2023-06/child_sex_trafficking_in_the_united_states_2.pdf
