TRENTON β A Lakewood man and four of his associates have pleaded guilty to charges of trafficking Mexican women into the country, often by trickery or coercion, to staff a network of brothels in New Jersey, New York and surrounding states, state authorities said today.
Under a plea bargain with prosecutors, Jose Cruz Romero-Flores, 39, the "owner" of the Lakewood brothels, and two associates β Felix Rios-Martinez, 48, and Raul Romero-Castillo, 31 β admitted late Wednesday to conspiracy to facilitate human trafficking. The state will recommend they be sentenced to five years in prison. Two other associates β Santos Lazaero Flores-Cruz, 59, and Haliro Bueno, 22 β pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution, and prosecutors will recommend they be sentenced to three years in prison.
Sentencing was scheduled for Aug. Romero-Flores admitted operating several Lakewood brothels, including one on Bellinger Street and another on Chestnut Street. At the time of his arrest in July of last year, he was operating a single brothel at Brook Road in Lakewood. Authorities said they believe several dozen women worked in the Lakewood brothels and have estimated hundreds could be part of the entire network. The women would see as many as clients per week, authorities said, and 40 in a single day.
Many of the women, who were primarily from Mexico but also other Latin American countries, were tricked into believing they were going to the U. The four male associates assisted Romero-Flores by watching the brothels, driving women and clients to and from the brothels and carrying out other tasks, authorities said.
Charges are still pending against Romero-Flores' girlfriend, Odulia Bedran Trejo, 22, who allegedly assisted him in operating the brothels and helped find women to work in them. She has been charged with promoting organized street crime and prostitution.
