Mexican National Paulino Ramirez-Granados Extradited To U.S. For Human Trafficking Charges

Human trafficking Mexican national suspect operated a family criminal organizaton that exploited young girls and women who were forced into prostitution in the U.S.

By H. Nelson Goodson 

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

October 22, 2015

New York, New York - On Tuesday, Mexican federal authorities extradited a suspect wanted in the U.S. for human trafficking. U.S. ICE in a press release reported, that one of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) top 10 most wanted human traffickers was extradited from Mexico on Tuesday to face criminal charges in the Eastern District of New York.

The susoect was identified as Paulino Ramirez-Granados, who had been on ICE's most wanted list since 2010, was arrested on March 31 in Tenancingo, Mexico, following a joint investigation between ICE's Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Mexico City, HSI New York and the Mexican Federal Police.
Ramirez-Granados was charged in the Eastern District of New York on Augus 5, 2011 with sex trafficking, alien smuggling, money laundering and conspiracy to import aliens for immoral purposes. He is currently in Bureau of Prisons' custody.
"This case is the latest chapter in this Office's multi-year effort to dismantle the Granados sex trafficking organization, a brutal group that promised their victims a better life and instead forced them into a life of sexual servitude through heinous acts of violence," stated United States Attorney Robert L. Capers. "With our dedicated partners at Homeland Security Investigations and with the assistance of the Mexican authorities, we were able to locate this fugitive defendant and bring him to the United States to face charges. With this important development, we are one step closer to closure for the brave victims of the defendant's crimes." U.S. Attorney Capers also expressed his thanks to HSI and the Mexican government for their assistance with the extradition and prosecution.

As set forth in extradition affidavits, between October 1998 and June 2011, members of the Granados sex trafficking organization, including Ramirez-Granados and others, illegally smuggled young women into the United States, where they were forced to work as prostitutes in New York City and elsewhere in the United States. The organization collected profits from the victims' activities. When victims refused to work or resisted, members of the organization beat and sexually assaulted the victims, and threatened the victims' family members in Mexico, including the victims' children.
HSI special agents identified and rescued over 20 additional victims – all Mexican nationals – and arrested over a dozen additional traffickers or smugglers, all members or associates of the Granados family. Several victims were sexually assaulted by their traffickers, while others were physically assaulted. All the victims said the traffickers threatened to harm their family members.
To date, 13 members of the Granados organization have been indicted in the Eastern District of New York on sex trafficking charges. Twelve have been arrested, and one – Raul Granados-Rendon – remains a fugitive, U.S. ICE reported.