A reputed Tren De Aragua gang member known as “La Barbie” was sentenced to two years in prison for human trafficking, reportedly at the now-defunct Gateway Hotel in Downtown El Paso, court records show.
Estefania Primera, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of trafficking of persons and was sentenced to a two-year prison term during a plea and sentencing hearing on June 4, court records show.
Primera, of Venezuela, received time-served credit for more than a year and eight months she spent in jail while her case was resolved, court records show.
Judge Sam Medrano presided over the hearing in the 409th District Court at the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.
“Human trafficking is a serious offense that poses a real danger to vulnerable victims and to the safety of our community,” El Paso District Attorney James Montoya said in a statement. “In resolving this case, our office weighed that danger as well as the unique challenges prosecutors face when victims or witnesses are non-citizens and may not be available or willing to testify.
“This outcome reflects our commitment to pursuing justice in a way that is both responsible and realistic.”
Primera is subject to immigration removal proceedings after serving her sentence, Montoya added.
Primera illegally entered the U.S. from Venezuela with her six children, a state prosecutor claimed during a Sept. 29, 2024, bond hearing.
‘La Barbie’ sex trafficked migrant for money
The sex trafficking allegedly happened at the Gateway Hotel, according to a 2024 leaked memo from the U.S. Border Patrol obtained by the New York Post. The memo claims Primera is a member of the Tren De Aragua, a Venezuelan gang known for human, drug and sex trafficking.
An affidavit filed in the case by a Texas Department of Public Safety state trooper does not name the hotel, stating the victim “found refuge at a local hotel that will remain unnamed for the safety of the victim.”
The investigation into Primera started after a state trooper received information from U.S. Border Patrol agents regarding a woman claiming she had been forced to work as a prostitute in El Paso, a criminal complaint affidavit states.
The woman told the trooper that she had entered the U.S. on Oct. 23, 2023, and was staying at an El Paso hotel, the affidavit states.
Primera, who was also at the hotel, told the woman she had a way for the woman to make money by being a prostitute, the victim said.
The woman told Primera she did not want to do it. However, Primera allegedly forced the woman to take a M30 pill, the affidavit states. M30 pills are counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, an illegal opioid that makes users experience “relaxation, euphoria, pain relief, sedation, confusion, drowsiness, dizziness, nausea” and other side effects, the affidavit states.
Primera allegedly forced the woman to take another pill that made the woman lose consciousness.
The woman saw men sexually assaulting her as she was in and out of consciousness. The woman claimed she would wake up naked several times, suffering from bleeding and other injuries consistent with being raped, the affidavit states.
The victim told Primera about the pain she suffered during the sexual assaults, but Primera forced the woman to take more pills, the affidavit states. Primera refused to take the woman for medical attention.
Primera forced the woman to stay at the hotel when she attempted to leave. The affidavit claims the woman once ran down to the hotel manager to show the manager her injuries, but the manager told her the injuries were probably caused by her spouse. The manager told the victim to go back to her room.
Primera beat the victim on multiple occasions, including kicking and punching her all over her body, the affidavit states.
As part of the investigation, the trooper took a photo of the woman and used it to find advertisements offering sexual services on an escort website, the affidavit states.
The woman told the trooper she never consented to being used as a prostitute. She added that she saw Primera take money from men in exchange for having sex with the victim. The victim never received any money from Primera.
Primera was arrested Sept. 27, 2024, on suspicion of trafficking of persons.
El Paso’s Gateway Hotel makes national headlines
El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez filed a lawsuit against the owner of the Gateway Hotel over allegations of criminal activity and deplorable living conditions, including housing members of the Tren de Aragua gang.
Judge Maria Salas-Mendoza of the 120th District Court granted a temporary injunction Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, shutting down the hotel until the lawsuit was settled.
The El Paso County Attorney’s Office and the Gateway Hotel owners settled in October 2024. The agreement stated that the owners could no longer operate a business using the name Gateway Hotel or any similar names, court documents state.
If the hotel had reopened, the settlement stated that the owners must fix code violations found by the El Paso Fire Department and the city of El Paso. The owners would also be required to apply for a new certificate of occupancy for the building.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Reputed Tren De Aragua member gets prison in sex trafficking case
Reporting by Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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By Aaron Martinez, El Paso Times | USA TODAY Network
