Weekend raid leads to indictments in prostitution ring

Twenty-five people have been indicted in what authorities are calling a major prostitution ring in the Twin Cities, the U.S. Attorney's Office said Monday.

According to the indictment, Marisol Ramirez ran a large-scale prostitution operation, and Roberto Rivera-Miranda assisted her with it.

The other 23 people indicted are accused of helping promote the ring by either running brothels, transporting prostitutes or distributing business cards for the operation.

U.S. Attorney Rachel Paulose calls the ring particularly harsh, alleging that in one case two women were forced to service 80 men in one night between the two of them.

The operation was discovered by slain St. Paul Police Officer Gerald Vick.

"These are serious crimes committed against members of the Minneapolis community including those within the immigrant community," Chief Dolan said.

"Human trafficking violates the fundamental human rights and dignity of those victimized. The repugnant nature of the crimes alleged in this case should draw together every member of the community, from every political and ideological point, to speak out against this treatment of women and girls procured like property and held in sexual servitude in our community."

"Prostitution is not welcome in our community," Mayor Rybak added.

"We need everyone ? residents and police ? to work together to rid this problem from our community."

A handful of people were arrested Saturday in Minneapolis on charges related to human trafficking for the purpose of prostitution. The arrests led to a protest by residents and immigration advocates -- because agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were there and it appeared to be a raid to round up illegal immigrants.

Minneapolis police officers were also at the scene Saturday.

Lt. Amelia Huffman, a police spokeswoman, said the department was not involved in the investigation or in the arrests, which were conducted by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension with help from other agencies, including ICE.

Huffman said since the arrests were in its jurisdiction, the Minneapolis Police Department sent one squad car to the scene as the warrants were being issued. More officers were dispatched as the crowd grew.

"Their sole purpose there was to maintain the security of the scene," she said of the officers. "They were not involved in making the arrests pursuant to BCA's warrants, or transporting prisoners. And they certainly were not involved in any ICE action related to immigration. ... Minneapolis Police Department officers don't enforce immigration policy, period."

Mayor Rybak and Chief Dolan reiterated their call for ICE officers to wear vests or jackets with ICE printed on them, not POLICE.

Huffman said the main issue isn't that Minneapolis police officers were there, but that "we had girls and women who were being bought and sold and held in sexual servitude here in our community.

"No matter what people's perspectives are on immigration issues, that is such a repugnant crime that I hope it would draw together everyone in the community to speak out," she said.

By Amy Forliti, Associated Press Writer

Check out our KARE family of Web sites:
	takeKARE		Metromix
	Moms Like Me		Minnesota Bound
	Showcase Minnesota