Acting US Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, Robert McGuire held a press conference with leadership from the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) alongside the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department (MNPD), Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (TBI), according to Fox News. He told reporters that the indictment outlines allegations of a far-reaching conspiracy to illegally transport South American women into the United States and forcibly engage them in prostitution.
Court documents cited in a press release by the Department of Justice revealed the alleged TdA conspirators as Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, 51; Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, 35; Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca, 39; Wilmarys Del Valle Manzano Solorzano, 22; Frankyanna Del Valle Romero-Rivero, 30; Endrik Alexander Morales-Rivero, 25; Jesus Enrique Castillo Rodriguez, 24; and Ariannys Beatriz Gutierrez-Carrillo, 24.
The DOJ detailed that per the indictment the defendants would act as facilitators, bringing the victimized women into the country and upon their arrival would post illicit advertisements to commercial sex websites and connect with commercial sex buyers via the internet or cellphone, directing them to the meet with the women from solicited sex acts at motels before collecting payment.
McGuire said in a statement, “This indictment demonstrates our commitment to stop human trafficking whenever and wherever we find it, and to hold those involved accountable. We are coming after transnational criminal organizations like TdA, but this case shows that we will also do whatever it takes to stop those who would traffick women and girls no matter who is behind their suffering.”#BREAKING FBI Houston agents and @HSIHouston assisted @FBI_Nashville with arresting three suspected Tren de Aragua associates in Houston this morning.
— FBI Houston (@FBIHouston) February 11, 2025
Those arrested were allegedly part of a multi-state TdA sex trafficking ring that threatened and abused victims. #HouNews pic.twitter.com/WtTmTnhHdN
He told reporters Tuesday "As of this morning, all charged defendants are in federal custody.”
Chief John Drake of the Metro Nashville Police told reporters, “The trafficking of human beings is abhorrent to all of us, it’s a modern-day form of slavery. I want to be very clear, our police department will always make human trafficking an investigative priority regardless of where the suspects are from and will work with our partners for an intentional and coordinated law enforcement response.”
According to the Justice Department, a grand jury returned a four-count indictment against the eight defendants, three of them Yilibeth del Carmen Rivero-De Caldera, Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero, and Yuribetzi Del Valle Gomez Machuca face additional charges for “a sex trafficking conspiracy for conspiring to use force, fraud, and coercion to compel the women into engaging in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ profit.” They also allegedly threatened the women by claiming ties to Tren de Aragua (TdA) and citing its reputation for brutality. Kleiver Daniel Mota-Rivero was also charged with possession of a firearm by an illegal immigrant.
A mother and son Rivero-De Caldera and Mota-Rivero are also charged with conspiring to impose a coercive debt scheme upon the victims to compel them to engage in prostitution until their debt was repaid.
On the charge of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, the defendants face life in prison, as well as state-level charges. Conspiracy to commit interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution and conspiracy to commit interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering add another five years each for a total of life in prison plus ten years. Mota-Rivero is also facing another 15 years in prison on the firearm charge.
