North Texas 'pimp' and 'john' both convicted in child sex trafficking conspiracy involving 12-year-old female victim

DALLAS — A federal jury on Wednesday convicted a North Texas man for his role in a conspiracy to sex traffic a female child; his co-defendant in this case pleaded guilty in October to his role in the conspiracy.

U.S. Attorney John Parker, Northern District of Texas, announced these convictions. This case was investigated by Irving (Texas) Police Department, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), both members of the North Texas Trafficking Task Force.

The jury convicted Brady Rodriguez-Cruz, aka Marcos Antonio Rodriguez-Mejia, 33, from Irving, Texas, on one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children. Rodriguez-Cruz also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing counterfeit documents. On Oct. 22, 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 about Dec. 23 through Dec. 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 about $50, and hastily left.

The government also presented evidence at trial that on Aug. 28, when officers with the Irving Police Department executed a traffic stop on a vehicle driven by Rodriguez-Cruz, they found that he possessed an unlawfully obtained counterfeit U.S. Permanent resident 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 U.S. District Judge Jane J. Boyle Feb. 4; Rodriguez-Cruz’s sentencing date has not been set.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cara Foos Pierce and John Kull, Northern District of Texas, prosecuted this case.

This investigation was conducted under HSI's Operation Predator, an international initiative to protect children from sexual predators. Since the launch of Operation Predator in 2003, HSI has arrested more than 12,000 individuals for crimes against children, including the production and distribution of online child pornography, traveling overseas for sex with minors, and sex trafficking of children. In fiscal year 2014, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested by HSI special agents under this initiative.

HSI encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free Tip Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, via its toll-free 24-hour hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST.

For additional information about wanted suspected child predators, download HSI's Operation Predator smartphone app or visit the online suspect alerts page.

HSI is a founding member and current chair of the Virtual Global Taskforce, an international alliance of law enforcement agencies and private industry sector partners working together to prevent and deter online child sexual abuse.