“Pimp” and “John” Convicted in Child Sex Trafficking Conspiracy Involving 12-Year-Old Female Victim

DALLAS — Following a three-day trial before U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle, a federal jury has convicted an Irving, Texas, man for his role in a conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a female child.  His co-defendant in the case pleaded guilty to his role in the conspiracy.  U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas made the announcement this afternoon.

The jury convicted Brady Rodriguez-Cruz, a/k/a Marcos Antonio Rodriguez-Mejia, 33, on one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children.  He also pleaded guilty to one count of possession of counterfeit documents.  On October 22, 2015, Luis Rivera, 19, also of Irving, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. 

In the conspiracy, Rodriguez-Cruz acted as the “john,” and Rivera acted as the “pimp.”  The government presented evidence at trial that from approximately December 23, 2014, through December 25, 2014, Rodriguez-Cruz and Rivera agreed to cause Jane Doe, a 12-year-old child, to engage in a commercial sex act.

Rivera met Jane Doe, along with three other minor females, in Irving.  Shortly after he met the minor females, Rivera learned that Jane Doe was 12-years-old.  Rivera and his friends, including one minor friend, took the four minor females to an empty apartment in Irving, where they stayed overnight.  The minor females had no money, so they were not able to eat that day.

The next day, the group left the abandoned apartment and went to Rivera’s minor friend’s apartment, and Rivera told the four minor females that they needed to engage in commercial sex acts to earn money for food.  Rivera then made several phone calls seeking potential commercial sex customers for the minor females.  He planned to charge $100 for sexual intercourse with one of the minors.  Rivera reached Rodriguez-Cruz and Rodriguez-Cruz agreed to come to the location to engage in a commercial sex act.  Rodriguez-Cruz brought another man with him to the apartment.  Rivera told the four minor females to line up so the men could select who they wanted to have sex with, and Rodriguez-Cruz selected the youngest girl, 12-year-old Jane Doe.  Rodriguez-Cruz then negotiated the price for sex with a girl down to $50.  Shortly thereafter, he engaged in commercial sex acts with Jane Doe, paid Rivera and his minor male friend approximately $50, and hastily left.

The government also presented evidence at trial that on January 28, 2015, when officers with the Irving Police Department executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Rodriguez-Cruz, they found him in possession of an unlawfully obtained, counterfeit U.S. Permanent residence card.  That card was issued in another name but bore Rodriguez-Cruz’s photograph.

The conspiracy count carries a maximum statutory penalty of life in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.  The counterfeit documents count carries a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.  Rivera is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Boyle on February 4, 2016, and Rodriguez-Cruz’s sentencing date has not been set.

The Irving Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), both members of the North Texas Trafficking Taskforce, investigated the case.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cara Foos Pierce and John Kull prosecuted.

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