Cuban national arrested for human trafficking and sexual exploitation in the United States

THE police in Glendale, Los Angeles, a Cuban national apprehended Emmanuel Garcia Guzmanaccused of trafficking immigrants from the island and forcing them into prostitution. According to the report, Guzman was arrested Friday during a sting operation in the California city. The operation is part of U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking involving Cuban citizens in areas such as Houston, Phoenix, Las VegasAnd Miamias reported by 13News.

Court documents indicate that Guzman is in the country illegally but has a residence in Texas. According to court records, an undercover detective arranged a sex transaction with one of the trafficked women. Guzman drove the woman to a hotel near Interstate 10 and Avondale Boulevard Friday night. The woman entered the hotel while Guzman remained in the car, after which he was arrested. Authorities informed the woman she was not in custody and offered her resources, but she declined.

The victim later revealed that she was in the United States illegally and had turned to prostitution to support her family in Cuba. “She mentioned that she was forced into this work for financial reasons. She has three children and a mother in Cuba, to whom she constantly sends money to help them survive,” said Moroni MéndezGlendale Police Department spokesperson.

At first, Guzman claimed he was making DoorDash deliveries to the hotel, but he later admitted to bringing the young woman to that location. Glendale police have identified apartments, hotels and homes in the West Valley where Cuban women are forced into prostitution and believe Guzman was transporting them from their residences to meeting places for sexual exchanges.

The inmate was incarcerated for transportation for the purposes of prostitution, a class 5 felony. “We do not know the extent of his involvement nor the level he occupies within this organization. We also do not know the size of the organization,” Mendez said, indicating that the investigation is ongoing.

He added that the main objective of the police is to help victims and noted that there is a Family Support Center in Glendale that helps victims of human trafficking.