In El Paso, 32-year-old Vernon Dimayuga (aka “Vito”) of Artesia, NM, was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for sex trafficking of children announced United States Attorney Richard L. Durbin, Jr., Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division, and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent in Charge Waldemar Rodriguez, El Paso Division.
In addition to the prison term, United States District Judge Kathleen Cardone ordered that Dimayuga pay a $500 fine and be placed on supervised release for a period of five years after completing his prison term.
On February 26, 2016, Dimayuga pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion. By pleading guilty, Dimayuga admitted to recruiting, enticing, harboring, and transporting a minor with the intent that the minor engage in a commercial sex act.
Court records allege that from May 2011 through May 2012, Dimayuga recruited and promoted using the Internet three children under the age of 18 to engage in commercial sex acts in El Paso, Midland, Odessa, San Antonio and Killeen.
Federal authorities arrested Dimayuga in Artesia, NM, in September 2015. He has remained in federal custody ever since.
“The arrest, conviction and sentencing of Mr. Dimayuga for sex trafficking of minors demonstrates that the FBI and our partners in the Department of Homeland Security, El Paso Police Department, and El Paso County Sheriff's Office will investigate all instances where children in our community are being harmed or exploited,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Douglas E. Lindquist, El Paso Division.
“HSI special agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to ensure those responsible for such heinous acts are justly prosecuted,” Waldemar Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge of HSI El Paso, said.
This case was the result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations as part of the Anti-Trafficking Coordination Team (ACTeam). Assistant United States Attorney Rifian Newaz prosecuted this case on behalf of the Government.