Leader and Conspirator Sentenced in Prince George’s County Prostitution Ring
Leader Kept a List of Over 100 Prostitutes Employed During the Two-Year Conspiracy

GREENBELT, MD—U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. sentenced Aida Pereira, a/k/a “Paty,” age 35, of Silver Spring, Maryland, today to 27 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to transport at least 100 women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes, announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein.  Judge Williams sentenced co-defendant Iris Y. Martinez-Solarzano, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, to 32 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on the same charge yesterday.

According to their plea agreements, each week from September 2003 to November 2005, Pereira, Martinez-Solarzano, and their conspirators transported women from New York and New Jersey to Maryland to employ them as prostitutes. 

Pereira admits that she was the primary contact person who communicated with these women by cell phone at least a week prior to their travel to Maryland, and scheduled  them to work in brothels in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Pereira maintained a list of more than 100 prostitutes whom she contacted regularly to work in Maryland. Typically, the women were picked up early on Monday mornings at pre-arranged locations in New York and New Jersey and dropped them off in Maryland where they worked as prostitutes for a week at a time. Pereira coordinated the rental of apartments in Maryland for use as places of prostitution. A doorman collected money from customers and provided security for the prostitutes. The prostitutes were provided with food and supplies for a set weekly fee. Pereira typically collected the money from the places of prostitution and then distributed the proceeds among her co-conspirators. The conspirators would bring the prostitutes back to New York and New Jersey on Sunday evenings, and then return to Maryland the next day with a new group of prostitutes. 

According to her plea agreement, Martinez-Solarzano assisted her conspirators in scheduling the prostitutes, collecting money from the brothels, renting new apartments, and transporting the prostitutes to and from Maryland.  At least one of the vans used to transport the prostitutes was registered in her name.

Throughout the course of the conspiracy, the conspirators operated at least five different brothels in Maryland, including apartments in Langley Park, Maryland. 

Co-conspirator Jose Hugo Chacon Roque, age 45, of Hyattsville, pleaded guilty to the same charge and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 7, 2009 at 9:30 a.m. Eduardo Puentes, a/k/a “Carlos,” a/k/a “The Colombian,” age 42, of Rockville, Maryland, was convicted on the same charge after trial and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 1, 2009 at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the investigative work performed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Chan Park, Gina Simms, and Christen Sproule, who are prosecuting the case.