In a recent announcement by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani, two family members were sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a sex trafficking operation run out of a Houston cantina's backroom. Maria Botello-Morales, 57, and her son Edgar Adrian Botello, 31, both Houston residents, received significant prison terms after pleading guilty in 2023 to multiple trafficking charges, including those involving a minor,
U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen handed down a 280-month sentence to Botello-Morales and a 180-month sentence to Botello. While Botello-Morales, not a U.S. citizen, is expected to face removal proceedings after her imprisonment, Botello's post-prison life includes 15 years of supervised release with stringent requirements limiting his contact with children and access to the internet. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, both will also be ordered to register as sex offenders.
Hamdani highlighted the insidious nature of "cantina cases," where undocumented women are sexually exploited under duress, often leveraging the victims' constant fear of detection and deportation.“These individuals stole the American dream from the victims. This form of trafficking takes advantage of the fear these victims live in and we are grateful for the hard work of the Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission (TABC) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in bringing them justice,” Hamdani said. In alignment with the denouncement of this heinous crime, TABC Chairman Kevin J. Lilly affirmed the commission's commitment to ending human trafficking in Texas, according to the same press release.
The criminal activities at Puerto Algre, the cantina in question, involved force and intimidation to compel the victims into prostitution. Botello-Morales and Botello threatened the women with violence, operating a systematic exploitation behind hidden backroom doors. The victims, initial recruits as waitresses, soon found themselves given a condom wrapped in a paper towel and being pushed to spend no more than fifteen minutes with the customers before surrendering the earnings—approximately $70—to their grim overseers.
During an investigation that led to the convictions, one victim recounted how a refusal to work prompted Botello-Morales to send an assailant to ensure compliance through physical assault. Edgar Adrian Botello played an enforcing role, often armed and in charge of the operation's financial transactions. The investigation, carried out by the TABC and HSI with assistance from various partners under the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA), also led to the discovery of loaded firearms and child pornography in the home the convicted shared.
The HTRA, a combined force comprising members of various law enforcement agencies and service organizations, was established by the United States Attorney's Office in Houston in 2004. Since its inception, it has been regarded as a model for combating human trafficking, successfully identifying and assisting victims, and prosecuting those who perpetrate trafficking offenses, as per U.S. Attorney's Office.