Authorities have uncovered a human trafficking ring in Trenton and Camden, where traffickers allegedly used fake business cards advertising plumbers and barbers as a front to offer a catalog of women, Attorney General Matthew Platkin announced Tuesday.
Eight individuals were arrested in connection with the alleged trafficking and racketeering operation, which authorities say exploited at least 15 women.
The business cards appeared to promote local services but instead, connected callers to a messaging app which offered details about women, including their ages, locations, and countries of origin.
“I want you to think about that for a moment,” Platkin said. “We are talking about human beings, women, being treated as property, indistinguishable from a car service or renting an automobile.”
The arrests were made on June 25, when law enforcement executed search warrants at five locations in Trenton and Camden.
During the coordinated raids, investigators uncovered evidence of commercial sex activity and rescued 15 women, ranging in age from 21 to 58.
According to Theresa Hilton, Director of the Division of Criminal Justice, the alleged ringleaders are Vilma Deleon Bracamonte, 55, of Hamilton, and Maria Soledad Xec Chan, 42, of Trenton.
Hilton said the two lured women to the brothels under false pretenses, promising jobs cleaning homes or working in restaurants.
Once inside, some victims were allegedly told they had to perform sex acts before they could leave. One woman said she was threatened with harm to her family if she refused, officials said.
The six other defendants are accused of managing the brothels or collecting money and supplies. They are:
- Santiago Miranda-Gomez, 30, of Trenton
- Francisco Macariosut, 50, of Trenton
- Abel Aguilera-Ronquillo, 27, of Trenton
- Julio C. Delgado-Belmeo, 27, of Trenton
- Flavio R. Navarrete-Reyes, 45, of Camden
- Wilmer E. Pinargote-Chimbiligua, 29, of Camden
All eight face charges of first-degree racketeering and first-degree human trafficking, among other offenses. Bracamonte and Xec Chan face additional charges as alleged leaders of the criminal enterprise.
If convicted, the defendants face 10 to 20 years in state prison for the first-degree charges.
The racketeering charges fall under the No Early Release Act and could include fines up to $500,000.
Additional charges carry potential prison terms of three to ten years and fines up to $150,000.
The investigation began in May 2024, when detectives discovered a business card listing three Trenton addresses — Ashmore Avenue, Roebling Avenue, and Elmer Street — falsely advertising barbershops.
A second card, promoting a plumbing service, added a fourth address on Genesee Street. None of the locations were tied to legitimate businesses, authorities said.
Investigators observed individuals connected to the operation frequenting all four Trenton sites and a fifth location on Leonard Street in Camden.
Inside the houses, men allegedly paid $50 for 15 minutes of sex, with half the money going to the women.
The case is being prosecuted by the Division of Criminal Justice’s Human Trafficking Unit, with support from multiple law enforcement agencies. Covenant House New Jersey is providing services to the survivors.
Anyone with information about human trafficking in New Jersey may call the state’s 24-hour hotline at 855-END-NJHT, where reports can be made anonymously.
Colleen Murphy may be reached at cmurphy@njadvancemedia.com.
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