EL PASO, TX- A Venezuelan woman accused of leading a sex trafficking operation as a member of Tren de Aragua out of El Paso was reportedly arrested in a hotel the gang had taken over last month. Estefania Primera, 36, known to gang members and TikTok users as "La Barbie," allegedly drugged at least one victim and brought in men to sexually assault her en masse.
A memo obtained by The New York Post said that Primera was arrested on Sept. 27th in El Paso when she was spotted with her five children. The hotel she was reportedly operating out have has also reportedly been shut down after several complaints about illegal activities taking place there.
According to the outlet, "La Barbie" was arrested outside of the Sacred Heart Church in El Paso where non-profit organizations serve illegal immigrants after they are released by ICE.
As reported by KFOX14/CBS4 The El Paso Police Department confirmed that an EPPD officer spotted Primera, leading to her arrest by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The unnamed victim asserted to the Post that Primera reportedly told her she could earn some money by prostituting for her, however, when she expressed no interest, the suspect forced her to take an M30 pill that contained fentanyl alongside other pills on "multiple occasions." She told the court that under this influence she would pass "in and out of consciousness," while several men raped her.
The woman said she would wake up injured and bleeding, but rather than tend to her, Primera would force more drugs upon her. When she attempted to escape she was forced back inside by Primera.
After attempting to get help from the hotel manager, who chalked up her story to domestic violence, the victim was able to flee the hotel on Sept. 10th and contacted Customs and Border Protection for help. The Texas Department of Public Safety later interviewed her, leading to Primera's arrest.
"La Barbie," is now charged with felony second-degree human trafficking, and her children, whom the Post reports were used for storing and smuggling narcotics, were taken into the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
A memo obtained by The New York Post said that Primera was arrested on Sept. 27th in El Paso when she was spotted with her five children. The hotel she was reportedly operating out have has also reportedly been shut down after several complaints about illegal activities taking place there.
According to the outlet, "La Barbie" was arrested outside of the Sacred Heart Church in El Paso where non-profit organizations serve illegal immigrants after they are released by ICE.
HUMAN TRAFFICKING ARRESTED: Estefania Primera, 36, an alleged Tren De Aragua gang member, was arrested in late September after a migrant woman living at a "local hotel" accused Primera of drugging her and letting men rape her. https://t.co/cW6uST2EPU pic.twitter.com/t3CLQsUdqb
— News 4 San Antonio (@News4SA) October 15, 2024
As reported by KFOX14/CBS4 The El Paso Police Department confirmed that an EPPD officer spotted Primera, leading to her arrest by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
The unnamed victim asserted to the Post that Primera reportedly told her she could earn some money by prostituting for her, however, when she expressed no interest, the suspect forced her to take an M30 pill that contained fentanyl alongside other pills on "multiple occasions." She told the court that under this influence she would pass "in and out of consciousness," while several men raped her.
The woman said she would wake up injured and bleeding, but rather than tend to her, Primera would force more drugs upon her. When she attempted to escape she was forced back inside by Primera.
After attempting to get help from the hotel manager, who chalked up her story to domestic violence, the victim was able to flee the hotel on Sept. 10th and contacted Customs and Border Protection for help. The Texas Department of Public Safety later interviewed her, leading to Primera's arrest.
"La Barbie," is now charged with felony second-degree human trafficking, and her children, whom the Post reports were used for storing and smuggling narcotics, were taken into the care of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.
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