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Geoffrey S. Berman, the United States Attorney for the Southern District, Acting Assistant Attorney General John M. Gore of the Civil Rights Division, and Angel M. Melendez, Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office of ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations announced the extradition of Efrain "Chavito" Granados-Corona, Emilio Rojas-Romero, Alan "El Flaco" Romero-Granados and Pedro Rojas-Romero. They were charged with Raul "El Negro" Romero-Granados, Isaac "Giro" Lomeli-Rivera, Julio "Rogelio" Sanz-Flores and Juan "Chegoya" with sex trafficking offenses in a 23-count Superseding Indictment.
Two of the four suspects were extradited to the United States from Mexico on April 26. The other two were extradited to the U.S. from Mexico on May 2.
This case is assigned to United States District Judge Andrew J. Carter, Jr.
The Indictment, which was returned under seal on Sept. 15, 2016, alleges that the defendants are members of an international sex trafficking organization that exploited and trafficked adult and minor women in Mexico and in the United States from at least 2000 to 2016.
Members of the defendants’ sex trafficking organization, which operated largely as a family business, used false promises, physical and sexual violence, and threats to force and coerce adult and minor women to engage in commercial sex for the organization’s profit in both Mexico and the United States.
A fifth suspect was previously extradited to the United States from Mexico on June 8, 2017.
Juan Romero-Granados remains in Mexico pending extradition proceedings.
Two defendants were arrested in the United States.
U.S. Attorney Berman said: “Sex trafficking is a heinous crime that violates both the rule of law and the most basic standards of human dignity. These defendants allegedly deprived women and girls of their freedom, and forced them into prostitution against their will."
Special Agent in Charge Angel M. Melendez said: “These four individuals were transported more than 2,000 miles from Mexico to be held accountable for the callous criminal actions alleged in this case. Those extradited, along with others, allegedly operated a family business centered on making money from exploiting females they forced into sex slavery."
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