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U.S. Department of Justice United States Attorney's Office 800 Federal Office Building Ph: (901) 544-4231
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PRESS RELEASE |
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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: LEIGH ANNE JORDON (901) 544-4231 |
Individuals Indicted for Money Laundering, Harboring Illegal Aliens, and Enticing Women to Engage in Prostitution
Memphis, TN - David Kustoff, United States Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee, My Harrison, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Memphis Field Office, Richard Crocker, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Larry Godwin, Director of the Memphis Police Department announce today that ten individuals were indicted by a federal grand jury in a 15 count indictment.
The indictment charges RAUL SANTILLAN-LEON, RAYMUNDO FLORES, FERNANDO REYES-SANTILLAN, RAMIRO SANCHEZ-GARCIA, DIEGO CORTES-BARRIENTOS, RAFAEL CORTES-BARRIENTOS, MARTIN MORENO, ELISEO CORTES-BARRIENTOS, RODOLFO CORTES-BARRIENTOS, AND CRISTOBAL FLORES ANGELES with Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, in violation of Title 18 USC Section 1956, Harboring Illegal Aliens, in violation of Title 8 USC Section 1324, and Failing to File a Factual Statement About an Illegal Alien, in violation of Title 18 USC Section 2424.
RAUL SANTILLAN LEON, RAYMUNDO FLORES, FERNANDO REYES-SANTILLAN, RAMIRO SANCHEZ-GARCIA, RODOLFO CORTES-BARRIENTOS, AND CRISTOBAL FLORES ANGELES are additionally charged in the indictment with Enticing an Individual to Travel in Interstate Commerce to Engage in Prostitution, in violation of Title 18 USC Section 2422.
According to the indictment, the defendants were operating brothels located in various areas of Memphis, Tennessee which housed women, mostly illegal aliens, which had traveled from New York, Illinois, Georgia, and as far away as Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Colombia in order to work as prostitutes here in Memphis.
The indictment alleges that the defendants divided the proceeds of the prostitution activities among themselves and their co-conspirators as well as paid the rent, utilities, cell phone bills, and transportation of the prostitutes, all in violation of federal money laundering statutes.
The indictment is a result of an aggressive investigation involving the cooperation of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Memphis Police Department’s Organized Crime Unit.
US Attorney David Kustoff commended the investigative efforts of FBI Special Agent Tracey Harris and ICE Special Agent Greg Sweargin. Assistant United States Attorneys Steve Parker and Rae Oliver are handling the case for The Government.