BOSTON, June 2, 2017—A joint investigation by local police, state prosecutors, and federal agents culminated in three arrests on human trafficking charges this week, authorities announced.
Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley, Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans, Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli, Woburn Police Chief Robert J. Ferullo, Jr, and Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations Boston announced the operation following the execution of search warrants this afternoon on Putnam Street in East Boston and Bradstreet Avenue in Revere.
Arrested on charges of trafficking in persons for sexual servitude were:
- CESAR ALDANA-CARRANZA (D.O.B. 1/25/69) of Revere;
- his wife, ELDA MUNOZ (D.O.B. 8/14/74), also of Revere; and
- his sister, NABIA ENAMORADO (D.O.B. 8/23/66), of East Boston.
Assistant District Attorney Melissa Brooks of the Suffolk DA’s Human Trafficking and Exploitation Unit recommended $100,000 cash bail for Aldana-Caranza and Munoz and $50,000 cash bail for Enamorado. She further recommended orders that the defendants surrender their passport and wear GPS monitors if they post bail. East Boston Municipal Court Judge John McDonald imposed $20,000 bail for Aldana-Carranza and Munoz, $5,000 cash bail for Enamorado, and the passport and GPS orders for all three defendants.
“Human trafficking is human exploitation for profit,” DA Conley said. “Pimps and traffickers cash in on it, sex buyers contribute to it, and victims suffer because of it. Our goal is to build strong cases against perpetrators and deliver support and services to survivors. Suffolk prosecutors work with a broad array of law enforcement agencies and social service providers in this important work, and we’re grateful for their partnership.”
“Human trafficking is not a victimless crime,” said Commissioner Evans. “The exploitation of women for profit is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in my city. I commend the efforts of my detectives and all who worked to identify and apprehend these suspects.”
“These arrests reflect HSI’s ongoing efforts to dismantle criminal organizations that engage in the scourge of human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Etre. “By taking a victim-centered approach, HSI and our partners remain firmly committed to ensuring survivors get the help they need and their captors are brought to justice.”
The arrests were based on evidence developed in multiple joint surveillance operations, the analysis of phone records obtained pursuant to a search warrant, detectives’ detailed observations of advertisements on web-based prostitution platforms, and plainclothes operations in which “dates” were arranged through those web sites and subsequently called off. The investigation arose out of a Woburn narcotics investigation during which a cell phone was seized, examined, and found to contain text message exchanges that strongly suggested commercial sexual exploitation.
Human trafficking is a felony punishable by up to 20 years in state prison upon conviction. Anyone with information on or concerns about human trafficking can call the Polaris Project’s national human trafficking resource center hotline at 888-373-7888 or send a text to “BeFree” (233733).
Enamorado was represented by attorney Christina Rodrigues and will return to court on June 28. Aldana-Carranza and Munoz are expected to face arraignment tomorrow.
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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
