Man Who Led Immigrant Brothel Ring Pleads Guilty

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A man accused of managing brothels in Oklahoma City and the Austin, Texas, area that used smuggled immigrant women has pleaded guilty to federal charges. <br/><br/>Juan Balderas-Orosco

Sunday, February 11th 2007, 2:25 pm

By: News On 6

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A man accused of managing brothels in Oklahoma City and the Austin, Texas, area that used smuggled immigrant women has pleaded guilty to federal charges.

Juan Balderas-Orosco faces up to 30 years in prison for transportation for prostitution, importation of illegal aliens and conspiracy to smuggle, transport and harbor illegal aliens.

The 34-year-old pleaded guilty yesterday.

Authorities say the Austin and Oklahoma city operations Balderas ran were part of a larger ring that included brothels in 13 cities, including ones across Texas, and in Las Vegas, New York City and Atlanta.

The ringleaders sneaked hundreds of women into the country and forced them to have sex with as many as 40 men a day, many of them illegal immigrants. Court documents allege they moved the women from brothel to brothel and kept their earnings, according to court documents.