Violent Female Sex Trafficker Sentenced to 190 Months

Co-defendant sentenced to three times her length of punishment

December 25, 2009

SOUTHERN FRIED CRIME NEWS -- A Nashville, Tennessee woman, Cristina Andres Perfecto, was sentenced in federal court in Memphis on Wednesday to only 190 months in prison for sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, sex trafficking of a juvenile and conspiracy. However, Perfecto's co-defendant, Juan Mendez, was sentenced to 600 months (50 years) in prison on June 27, 2008, after pleading guilty to child sex trafficking and sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. Perfecto and Mendez each admitted to fraudulently luring two young girls, including a 13-year-old, from rural Mexico to Tennessee with the intent of forcing them into prostitution. Both further admitted that Mendez, with Perfecto's assistance, physically, verbally, and sexually abused the victims in order to coerce them into prostitution.

Perfecto, who played an integral part in this sex trafficking ring by gaining these young girls trust, pleaded guilty on August 28, 2007, to two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion and sex trafficking of a juvenile in the Western District of Tennessee. Perfecto also pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy in the Middle District of Tennessee.

Nine other defendants had earlier pleaded guilty in this same case for crimes including:

• Child sex trafficking, conspiracy to harbor illegal aliens
• Conspiracy to commit money laundering
• Enticing an individual to travel in interstate commerce to commit prostitution
• Violating the Mann Act

Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division said:

"This defendant lured vulnerable victims to the United States under false pretenses and coerced them into sexual slavery, depriving them of their freedom, their dignity and their civil rights. We will continue to aggressively prosecute individuals who engage in coercive sexual exploitation."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker for the Western District of Tennessee and Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti from the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case. The investigation was led by Memphis FBI Agent Tracey Harris and Memphis U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Agent Greg Swearngin. They were assisted by ICE agents in Nashville, the Memphis Police Department, the Nashville Police Department and FBI and ICE agents from around the country who lent their expertise to the investigation. Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, the YWCA, and World Relief have assisted the victims and witnesses in this matter.

Lastly, thanks to all for your diligent work in dismantling this sex trafficking network, which forced children into sexual slavery in the United States.