Galveston County investigators bust sex trafficking operation after 20-year-old victim turns to authorities for help • Board member of troubled Children’s Center among those charged UPDATED 6:20 AM 11/29/2023 The Galveston County Sheriff’s Office and District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday (11/28/2023) announced that 13 men are charged in connection to a four-month-long human trafficking/forced prostitution operation. Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, in a written statement, said a 20-year-old woman reported to investigators that she was struck, hit, punched and subjected to other forms of assault by a man who forced her into prostitution. Her information led sheriff’s office and district attorney investigators to Berry Wright IV. Wright, she alleged, would arrange sexual encounters with multiple men around Galveston County and nearby counties. When Wright was arrested in July, investigators seized an Android phone that, according to a search warrant, contained messages and emails that were evidence of compelling prostitution. Wright is accused of coordinating sexual meetings between the woman and men who called for paid sex. He is also accused of threatening to harm or murder the woman if she didn't follow through on the sex meetings he arranged. Wright was arrested on July 7 on charges of compelling prostitution through threats and intimidation. Wright is also charged with assaulting the woman with an enhanced charge because of a previous conviction of assault. He remains in the Galveston County Jail on bonds totaling $330,000. The rest of those snagged in the prostitution busts are charged with solicitation of prostitution. Most were arrested in early and mid-October. One of the men was arrested in early November, while one remains at large. Officials waited until this week to confirm the arrests to confirm that a grand jury indicted all those involved. Charging documents show that these cases are not street prostitution; instead, all cases of “outcall” or “escort” services. Most were booked and released on $5,000 bond, according to officials. One of those arrested had bond set at $20,000. Among 12 men who face charges of soliciting prostitution is a board member of the much-troubled The Children’s Center Inc. David James Holmen of La Marque, who is listed on the scandal-ridden Children’s Center website as the board vice-chairman, faces a charge of felony solicitation of prostitution. Holmen was out front defending the non-profit’s operations after its shelter operations were forced to close after the Galveston County Health District found rat infestation, roaches, multiple fire code violations, and general unliveable conditions. Since the forced closure of the shelter, the Galveston County District Attorney is also investigating the Children’s Center operations. Attempts to reach the organization’s board chairman, Joseph Trahan, a healthcare administrator who lives in Beaumont, were unsuccessful on Tuesday. Holmen, known in the area for his billboards promoting his work as a car salesman, is a La Marque resident who once ran for La Marque City Council. A probable cause affidavit used to charge Holmen claims he was known as “Old Mexican Glasses lick” to Wright and the victim. Lick or John are slang terms used to describe prostitution customers. According to the charging record, Holmen had between 5 and 15 liaisons with the 20-year-old woman. All happened at his house in the 600 block of Sable Terrace Lane in La Marque. The charging document alleges Holman tried cultivating a personal relationship with the woman. Those attempts came as she claimed she had been sexually abused as a child and wanted to get out of her situation. Holmen reportedly replied that he “felt bad for doing business with her” but continued. Instead, Holmen paid between $200 and $400 to have sex with the woman, the charging document reads. He was arrested Oct. 11 and released on $5,000 bond. The victim told investigators that during most of her session with Holmen, he had a handgun present. Once she arrived, he had a gun on the pillow of his bed. There’s no indication so far that there's any connection between Holmen’s board position and the solicitation of prostitution charges. It is her testimony that led investigators to uncover a human trafficking/forced prostitution operation in Galveston County. “These indictments were possible because of the courage of the victim who spoke out about her abuse,” Roady said. “Human trafficking is not only a crime; it is an offense against the human dignity of the victims. “The Galveston County District Attorney's Office intends to prosecute these cases to the fullest extent possible." The others were charged with felony solicitation of prostitution and jailed before being released on bond: Nicholas Cali, 42 Arrest date: 10-10-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Kenneth Cooper, 43 Arrest date: 10-10-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $20,000 Jerome Russo, 53 Arrest date: 10-10-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Raphael Ludwick, 62 Arrest date: 10-10-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Kevin Jantz, 44 Arrest date: 10-18-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Bradley English, 28 Arrest date: 10-31-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Antonio Martinez, 51 Arrest date: 11-10-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Tony Martin, 43 Arrest date: 11-07-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Jonathan Vega, 37 Arrest date: 10-11-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Daniel Cuello, 24 Arrest date: 10-11-2023 SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000 Also charged but not in custody as of Tuesday (11/28/2023) afternoon: Jose Zavaleta, 38 AT LARGE SOLICIT PROST/OTHER PAYOR - $5,000

Posted by i45NOW at 2023-11-29 05:12:39 UTC