Maryland woman sentenced to 11 years in prison for recruiting pregnant teen into sex trafficking ring

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – An illegal alien from El Salvador who was residing in Adelphi, Md., was sentenced Friday to 132 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for recruiting a 15-year-old, pregnant runaway to engage in commercial sex acts for a trafficking ring with ties to the notorious street gang Mara Salvatrucha Thirteen (MS-13).

The case against Yanira del Carmen Guerrero Andrade, also known as "Yadira" or "Litsy," 28, was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Washington, D.C., with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force.

"Guerrero Andrade knew the victim was a minor and exploited that vulnerability by luring her into a life of prostitution with the violent street gang, MS-13," said John P. Torres, special agent in charge of HSI Washington, D.C. "Child sex trafficking is a heinous crime, and HSI is committed to protecting victims and to dismantling human trafficking organizations globally."

"Defendant Guerrero Andrade was in a position to aid the victim of this unconscionable act, but instead of helping her, she helped perpetuate her exploitation," said U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride. "She now has 11 years in federal prison to think about her decision. This prosecution is another example of our commitment to prosecuting anyone who participates in this vile crime."

"Andrade took advantage of a vulnerable, scared teenage runaway, and instead of helping her, she prostituted her through a gang," said Ken Cuccinelli, attorney general of Virginia. "What is even more sinister is that she took advantage of a young pregnant mother, creating two victims of her crime. The attorney general’s office is committed to fighting human trafficking and protecting Virginia’s most vulnerable citizens from predatory monsters like Guerrero Andrade."

According to documents filed with the court, Guerrero Andrade first met the juvenile victim in 2008 at a nightclub in Hyattsville, Md. At the time, the victim had run away from home. Guerrero Andrade placed the juvenile victim with an MS-13 associate, and later, recruited her to work as a prostitute for an organization run by Guerrero Andrade’s boyfriend, Julio Revolorio-Ramos. Guerrero Andrade and Revolorio-Ramos then transported the victim from Maryland to northern Virginia for purposes of prostitution.

On the first day the victim was trafficked, she was trafficked to approximately 15 customers, and on the third day she was trafficked to 25 customers. Guerrero Andrade knew that the victim was less than 18 years old and instructed her to use an alias and say that she was 20 years old. Several customers requested the victim specifically because she appeared underage. Guerrero Andrade and her boyfriend kept a portion of the proceeds the victim earned. Guerrero Andrade also referred the victim to other traffickers besides her boyfriend so that those "pimps" could also traffic the victim.

Revolorio-Ramos previously pleaded guilty to sex trafficking of a child, and was sentenced to 188 months of incarceration and five years of supervised release.

Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – along with nongovernmental organizations – dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.

Virginia Assistant Attorney General and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Marc J. Birnbaum and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Frank are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.