From Bill Kaempffer, city police spokesman:
City vice officers in cooperation with state and federal authorities arrested three people Thursday after breaking up a sex trafficking operation in the city. The operation centered in the Hollow neighborhood and involved the rotation of women, mainly of Mexican descent, between New York and Bridgeport to work as prostitutes. The investigation remains active in New York and Massachusetts.
“This truly is a sad case,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. “These arrests resulted from outstanding cooperation and coordination between a number of agencies–local, state and federal. The FBI and Immigration and Customs Enforcement all played key roles in the investigation.”
The investigation began more than a year ago when Bridgeport Police developed information that a group of Mexican nationals were promoting prostitution in the Hollow section of the city. It was believed that the group was part of a larger multi-state ring that trafficked women. The ring is believed to have ties to organized crime in Mexico.
Working closely with the FBI, Bridgeport Sgt. John Andrews, Detective William Reilly and Officer Orlando Rosada were able develop information that the prostitution ring did indeed exist.
Over the course of the investigation, authorities sent in a confidential informant to pose as a customer. On one occasion, a female in the second-floor apartment told the CI that the “girls are downstairs.” Downstairs, the CI was shown several girls and quoted a price for sex. On a second occasion, the CI also was quoted a price but stated he felt uncomfortable having sex there because there were children in the residence.
He was handed a business card and told, “I will drive the girls to you. Just call me.”
On another occasion, one of the suspects was pulled over for a motor vehicle violation and police recovered several notebooks that included addresses from throughout Bridgeport. Police recovered more when they raided the apartments Thursday. The records are believed to ledgers of customers.
Investigators subsequently confirmed that the women were rotated in and out of the house and new woman arriving by train or were picked up from New York about once a week and sometimes more frequently. While in Bridgeport, the women were not permitted to leave the house.
On Thursday, authorities executed three search and seizure warrants at two houses at 246 Lexington Ave. and 204-206 Olive St. and arrested three men. Emiliano Alameda-Cabrera, 36, and brothers Dardo Reyes, 29, and Patricio Reyes, 33, were charged with prostitution-related charges and held on $1 million bond each.
Five children were placed in the care of the Department of Children and Families. Police located two suspected prostitutes. They are being provided services by the International Institute of Connecticut.
*** This is the kind of stuff you see on TV, only it’s here in Bpt! People need to wake up and know your surroundings and neighborhood ’cause it could be right next door to you! *** If you see something, say something to someone, keep notes and report it to the local authorities before it spreads like a cancer! ***
Mojo,
It is also the kind of stuff that makes people frightened to say anything. Intimidation works easily and often.
Eighteen months ago I heard the idea behind TIPS, Trustworthy Information for Public Safety at a City Council meeting. There were certain activities with the Postal Service, copy design, production and distribution of cost-free envelopes and posters, and identification of Police Department contact. The purpose was to provide a safe way for people to anonymously report threats to their quality of life.
The Police Chief thought the idea was good enough to provide a contact person, but neither he nor his later-appointed public-relations staffer have bothered to do any publicity about it or to be in touch for making this project ongoing beyond the first year that was funded personally for less than $1,000.
The idea was supported by major food stores, the Housing Authority and some others. TIPS was presented to many community not-for-profits at a BCAC meeting on violence last year. Nobody, despite some pursuit for response by me, responds. Anybody looking for a surefire, necessary anonymous alternative, inexpensive project that can be used by anyone who can read, write and cares about their community? Let me know, please. Time will tell.
I hope the CT Post prints all of the names of the customers. Demand generates supply. Cut off the demand by public embarrassment.