The Great Smoky Mountain Journal

Staff, Wire Reports

Posted: Sunday, January 21, 2018 07:22 PM

22 Houston Area Gang Members Indicted For Sex, Drug Trafficking, Fire Arm Crimes, Human Smuggling

Federal officials in Houston announced 22 alleged gang members were indicted for sex and drug trafficking, the sale of firearms, human smuggling and stealing identities.

Federal prosecutors say a 37-count indictment was handed up earlier this month in Houston and partly unsealed Wednesday. The conspiracy-related counts are linked to sex trafficking, prostitution, transportation of immigrants, plus drug and weapons charges.

Houston FBI announced 13 of the alleged gang members were in police custody but nine were still being sought. The bureau tweeted photos of the suspects on Thursday.

View image on Twitter
The suspects were believed to be part of the Southwest Cholos crew, a violent street gang prevalent in Houston, the Houston Chronicle reported.

PENCE TELLS TEXAS SHOOTING VICTIMS ‘WE WILL NEVER LEAVE YOUR SIDE’

Federal prosecutors alleged the violent gang members lured undocumented immigrants into the U.S., promising them jobs to pay off their debts, but forced them into prostitution. The gang reportedly forced the undocumented immigrants to work in brothels in Houston and Mexico.

The gang’s brothel in southwest Houston was considered its “base of operations for methamphetamine and heroin peddling, gun trafficking and human smuggling,” prosecutors alleged.

The gangsters reportedly threatened violence against the undocumented immigrants’ families if they refused to work in the brothels.

The members also tattooed the immigrants with nicknames as a reminder of who they belonged to, the Houston Chronicle reported.

The gang’s network of criminal operations extended from Texas’ border with Mexico to popular resort city Cancun, the indictment stated.