Four defendants admitted in federal court last week that they created a sex trafficking web that seduced women in Mexico, smuggled them into the United States and forced them to work as prostitutes in Queens.
Two brothers, Eleuterio Granados- Hernandez and Samuel Granados- Hernandez, admitted that between 2000 and 2011—after sneaking the women across the border— they threatened them with violence to co- erce them into working as prostitutes in New York and turning over the proceeds.
In at least two cases, Samuel Granados-Hernandez admitted he seduced the women he intended to prostitute.
Prosecutors say he would woo them in Mexico, smuggle them up to Queens and use promises of false love to convince them to do his bidding.
But the brothers were just a piece of the family that was exploiting these women.
The mother of Samuel Granados- Hernandez’s children went along with the scheme. Irma Rodriguez- Yanez is his domestic partner and continually referred to him as her husband during the trial, but she posed as his sister-in-law to help reinforce his grip on the victims.
Rodriguez-Yanez also handled some administrative work in the scheme. She handed out phone numbers for the victims to drivers who ferried them to prostitution locations.
That’s not where it ended though.
When the victims got to their locations, Lilia Ramirez-Granados, the brothers’ cousin, stepped in.
She knew the women had been forced into prostitution under threat of violence, and when the go to her she laid out exactly what was required of them.
She then supervised the profits of the prostitution making its way back to Eleuterio and Samuel Granados- Hernandez.
“Through this prosecution, we have dismantled an extensive Mexi- can sex trafficking operation that has preyed upon countless young women for many years, forcing them into sexual slavery for the defendants’ own profit and gain,” stated United States Attorney Lotetta Lynch. “These guilty pleas signify the closing of a terrible chapter in the history of the Granados family criminal enterprise.”
On August 1, Eleuterio Granados- Hernandez and Samuel Granados- Hernandez pleaded guilty to sex trafficking and could receive life in prison. They will at least be sentenced to 15 years, which is the minimum for their plea.
Irma Rodriguez-Yanez and Lilia Ramirez-Granados could also face life imprisonment for pleading guilty to sex trafficking conspiracy.
“For these defendants, sex traf- ficking was the family business. They took advantage of the hopes and dreams of countless young women, robbing them of their freedom and dignity,” said Homeland Security In- vestigations Special Agent-in-Charge James Hayes. “These guilty pleas are victories in the battle against human trafficking. HSI is intent on disrupt- ing human trafficking syndicates no matter where in the world they operate.”
