MALVERN, PA – On July 8, the Chester County District Attorney's Office announced charges against several individuals who reportedly kidnapped a 14-year-old girl, violated her and subsequently held her against her will, forcing her to commit sex acts with a number of men for money.
The investigation conducted by East Whiteland Township Police, the Chester County Detectives and Homeland Security Investigations began on May 30, when the 14-year-old victim managed to slip away from her captors for a moment, calling her mother for help from a Wawa parking lot.
The girl who was reportedly held for weeks and tortured was quickly rescued by police. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that an 18-year-old girl had also been held against her will and forced into prostitution, according to court documents.
The Chester County District Attorney's Office stated in a press release: Victim 1 (the 14-year-old) stated that she was originally recruited by a female known to her as “Tiny,” a 17-year old victim from Camden, NJ, at a party in Washington, DC. After communicating through Snapchat, Tiny asked Victim 1 if she wanted to make money and then picked Victim 1 up in Maryland with one of the co-defendants.
Victim 1 was driven to an apartment in Malvern, PA where she was forced to perform oral sex on one of the co-defendants as a means of “breaking” and “testing” her for the work she would be required to perform.
She said Tiny and one of the co-defendants took pictures of her that were used to advertise that men could pay to have sex with her, and they took her to Walmart to buy “sexy clothes.” Another co-defendant acted as a doorman who collected money as individuals arrived for sex. He then waited while they had sex.
Victim 1 also stated that she was told to give a fake name and fake age if asked by anyone. While interviewing witnesses regarding the abuse of Victim 1, a second victim was discovered –an 18-year-old (“Victim 2”), who said she had been held against her will by the co-defendants during February and March of 2020.
Victim 2 said she met a female through Snapchat who introduced her to one of the co-defendants on the premise that he had a job for her working in a bar. Victim 2 was picked up in Virginia and brought to East Whiteland Township where she was forced to have sex for money with numerous individuals. Victim 2 was also sexually assaulted by one of the co-defendants and threatened with bodily harm if she attempted to leave. She was also forced to ingest drugs on various occasions.
One of the co-defendants collected money from individuals who paid to have sex with her and also served as a doorman. She was held for approximately three weeks before she was able to escape.
Dimas Omar Cornejo Hernandez, 34; Franklin Rivera Mendieta, 25; and Josue Sibrian Sanchez, 33, have all been charged with corrupt organization that engaged in a pattern of racketeering activity that included trafficking in minors, involuntary servitude, criminal conspiracy, kidnapping, rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, promoting prostitution and related charges. Diana Ordonez, age 25; Luis Cabrera Peralta, age 29; Nestor Ruiz, age 45; Juan Humberto Ortiz Ortiz, age 35; and Carlos Villatoro Gallegos, age 23 were all arrested on charges related to having sex with a minor and/or adult for money. All of the suspects are currently being held at the Chester County Prison on ICE Holds, with the exception of Rivera Mendieta. Investigators have reason to believe there may be several more victims, and the investigation is ongoing at this time. Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to contact Chester County Detectives at 610-344-6866. Read the Chester County DA's full statement on the case...
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