Arrest Warrant Issued For Woman Suspected In Prostitution Smuggling Ring
Warrant Issued After Wilmington Woman Fails To Appear For Hearing
March 22, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- An arrest warrant was issued after a Wilmington woman, suspected of paying smugglers to bring women across the border to work as prostitutes, failed to appear in court for a hearing, a prosecutor said Monday.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche said Maria De La Luz Menjivar did not show up for a pretrial hearing on Friday, and an attorney filling in for her regular lawyer had no contact with her to explain the absence.
The $150,000 warrant was issued by Superior Court Judge Kelly MacEachern, Labreche said.
Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez said he had not heard that Menjivar was the subject of an arrest warrant.
"We don't put out a crew looking for her, but she will be arrested if she comes in contact with police," he said.
Menjivar's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Marion Wheeler, could not be reached for immediate comment.
Menjivar, 43, was arrested on Feb. 4, along with several prostitutes and Nareshkumar Patel, 44, the owner of the Econo Lodge at 1126 W. Katella Ave. in Anaheim.
Menjivar, who was released after posting $100,000 bail, was later charged with felony pimping and pandering.
Patel posted $500 bail. He was later charged, in a separate case, with misdemeanor keeping or residing in a house of ill-fame, a court clerk said.
He is scheduled to appear on that charge on April 15.
After his arrest, Patel told the Los Angeles Times that he had nothing to do with the alleged prostitution operation.
Patel said he bought the motel across the street from the Disneyland Resort seven years ago.
He said women who allegedly were forced to work off the price of being smuggled into the country stayed at the motel for three days, and he never knew they were going anything illegal.
Menjivar had been implicated in a sweep the previous February at a different motel, the Anaheim Maingate Inn at 1211 S. West St., Martinez said.
At that time, three prostitutes, one male customer and another man suspected of managing the operation were arrested, but police could not develop sufficient evidence to arrest Menjivar, Martinez said.
In the latest case, Menjivar "arranged with coyotes to bring the girls across the border," Martinez alleged. "They thought they were coming here to work as housemaids."
Once in the United States, the women were told that they would have to work off loans of $1,200 and $1,400 through prostitution, Martinez alleged.
Patel said he bought the motel across the street from the Disneyland Resort seven years ago.
Warrant Issued After Wilmington Woman Fails To Appear For Hearing
March 22, 2004
LOS ANGELES -- An arrest warrant was issued after a Wilmington woman, suspected of paying smugglers to bring women across the border to work as prostitutes, failed to appear in court for a hearing, a prosecutor said Monday.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Labreche said Maria De La Luz Menjivar did not show up for a pretrial hearing on Friday, and an attorney filling in for her regular lawyer had no contact with her to explain the absence.
The $150,000 warrant was issued by Superior Court Judge Kelly MacEachern, Labreche said.
Anaheim police Sgt. Rick Martinez said he had not heard that Menjivar was the subject of an arrest warrant.
"We don't put out a crew looking for her, but she will be arrested if she comes in contact with police," he said.
Menjivar's attorney, Deputy Public Defender Marion Wheeler, could not be reached for immediate comment.
Menjivar, 43, was arrested on Feb. 4, along with several prostitutes and Nareshkumar Patel, 44, the owner of the Econo Lodge at 1126 W. Katella Ave. in Anaheim.
Menjivar, who was released after posting $100,000 bail, was later charged with felony pimping and pandering.
Patel posted $500 bail. He was later charged, in a separate case, with misdemeanor keeping or residing in a house of ill-fame, a court clerk said.
He is scheduled to appear on that charge on April 15.
After his arrest, Patel told the Los Angeles Times that he had nothing to do with the alleged prostitution operation.
Patel said he bought the motel across the street from the Disneyland Resort seven years ago.
He said women who allegedly were forced to work off the price of being smuggled into the country stayed at the motel for three days, and he never knew they were going anything illegal.
Menjivar had been implicated in a sweep the previous February at a different motel, the Anaheim Maingate Inn at 1211 S. West St., Martinez said.
At that time, three prostitutes, one male customer and another man suspected of managing the operation were arrested, but police could not develop sufficient evidence to arrest Menjivar, Martinez said.
In the latest case, Menjivar "arranged with coyotes to bring the girls across the border," Martinez alleged. "They thought they were coming here to work as housemaids."
Once in the United States, the women were told that they would have to work off loans of $1,200 and $1,400 through prostitution, Martinez alleged.
Patel said he bought the motel across the street from the Disneyland Resort seven years ago.
