PECOS, Texas — The Reeves County Sheriff's Office has shared with NewsWest 9 new details in the recent raid of a Pecos strip club that led to dozens of arrests and a human trafficking investigation.
Captain Isaiah Porras says law enforcement had already been following El Ranchito Gentlemen's Club for months due to possibly violating the county's sexually oriented business regulations. He claims the club knowingly provided topless dances despite being near a residential area.
"Then, there was a point in time where we think there might be a nexus for human trafficking," said Cpt. Porras. "We may think some of the people there may not be there willing."
Upon being granted the search warrant, the operation, with the help of the FBI, ICE, and the Department of Homeland Security, went down during business hours on Saturday, June 13. Captain Porras says deputies ordered everyone, from patrons to employees, out of the building to allow for the clearing.
However, he says it didn't take long for investigators to make a shocking discovery: a small, padlocked room hidden behind storage lockers. Once inside, he says they found seven female entertainers, later identified as non-U.S. citizens believed to have been working against their will.
"I have a daughter," said Cpt. Porras. "I have a mom. It pulls you out of your work mode. Basic human compassion, where did it go?"
The club's owner, 56-year-old Alonso Salazar, turned himself in the next day. He's since bonded out on a misdemeanor for failing the aforementioned ordinance.
However, the captain says a federal human trafficking case is open against Salazar.
"I think that one of the greater messages that needs to be sent out is these types of actions against people have no place in a community like this and in any community going forward," said Cpt. Porras.
We've reached out to El Ranchito Gentlemen's Club for comment and have yet to hear back.
Replies (5)
I'm surprised they could find enough cops for this raid. Seems like half of US cops are on administrative leave, under suspicion of illegally using Flock cameras to stalk women who ditched them.
Let's see if anyone actually gets indicted for human trafficking. We'll probably never know the truth of it. Some chance the club was just helping the mojadas hid from ICE. If is is human trafficking, I doubt the gubment is willing to do what it would need to, to get the women to testify. They have to be allowed to stay in the US, for one thing. And they and their relatives would need protection from retaliation. Which would likely involve the women and the relatives being given permanent residence.
Would be interesting to hear what @Kiho001 has to say about this.
Did they investigate and find out the non citizens were working against their will, or did they assume they were working against their will due to being non citizens? The average income in places like Colombia is $300 a month- so a lot of people from there are fully willing to engage in sex work
Club had a small pad locked room so it has to be a trafficking operation. Case closed. Maybe that’s why they charged him with a fucking misdemeanor. Last time I checked human trafficking was a felony offense. Misleading article for stupid people who lack critical thinking skills.
Oh and here is the dirty little secret they don’t tell you about all of these “trafficking” busts. If the girls were here illegally on their own volition which is possibly the case considering it’s Texas and Texas is a border state. Those girls will likely get detained by Customs and Immigration and likely deported. But if they claim to the authorities that they were trafficked, they can potentially get a green card, permanent residency, and benefits. All because they are alleged trafficking victims. This shits the equivalent of some angry spouse going through a divorce telling their kid they will get ice cream if they claim that the other spouse touched them inappropriately in order to get custody.
Have to wait and see. It could all play out like this did: freedomunited.org . But, I think when the PLs are not famous, they often decide it's easier to plead guilty to a lesser crime to make it go away. LE's claims of human trafficking never get challenged in court.
@ilbbaicnl If the dude is guilty of what they potentially allege than they need to provide the evidence to sway a jury beyond the shadow of a doubt. My guess is the guy is guilty of hiring some undocumented dancers from south of the border. That is a crime but it doesn’t amount to human trafficking. The dude will probably cop to a lesser charge to avoid something bigger but that in and of itself is complete horseshit. The “justice” system in this country is whack and the fact that prosecutors use the threat of bigger charges like a baseball bat is crooked AF. A deal signed under duress should be null and void.
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