El Paso Human Trafficking Bust Leads to Arrests, Including Local Attorney

EL PASO, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Criminal Investigations Division (CID), working with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), arrested nine individuals following a year-long human trafficking investigation in El Paso County.

Investigators uncovered an international network of human smugglers and traffickers operating from Cuba through Central America and Mexico into El Paso. Female victims from Cuba were reportedly forced into prostitution to repay smugglers. Co-conspirators were involved in advertising victims online and transporting them to locations in El Paso.

Among those arrested was Mario Ortiz Saroldi, 51, a local attorney representing some of the accused, who was charged with solicitation of prostitution. Also arrested were Yasiel Rodriguez-Amaro, 31, and Katherine Ventura-Amaro, 37, both of El Paso, facing charges including aggravated promotion of prostitution, online promotion of prostitution, and possession of a controlled substance.

All three were booked into the El Paso County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities have not released further details about other arrests.