Hugo Hernandez-Velazquez was sentenced to nearly 16 years in prison for his role in a Mexican sex trafficking crew. He pleaded guilty to sex trafficking involving multiple victims through force and coercion. Between 2001 and 2009, he and his siblings trafficked young women from Mexico to the U.S. under false promises. Victims faced physical violence, forced abortions, and horrific treatment. After serving his time, Hernandez-Velazquez will be deported to Mexico. His sentencing marks the conclusion of the prosecution of the family-run trafficking ring.
For years, the defendant and his siblings operated an illegal, abusive, and exploitative sex trafficking operation that stripped victims of their dignity and subjected them to inhumane violence.
Hernandez-Velazquez and his siblings ran the organization based in Mexico and trafficked young women in Mexico to engage in prostitution in the U.S.
Members of the crew lured victims into romantic relationships through false promises of love and support.
The trafficking operation maintained a base in Astoria, where the victims would reside while they were forced to work in New York and other states.
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