Several Arrests Made in Sex Trafficking Charges

Two individuals from East Boston as well as seven others from surrounding communities were arrested last week by State Police at three residential locations in East Boston, Chelsea and Lynn that served as alleged fronts for human trafficking.

Attorney General Maura Healey made the announcement that Marlon Nagano, 37, of East Boston and Fabian Galeano, 40, of East Boston were both charged with Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution and Conspiracy to Commit Trafficking.

Galeano was arraigned in East Boston District Court by Judge John E. McDonald and pleaded not guilty to the charges.  Conditions of release include he be fitted with a GPS monitoring device, have no contact with any victim or witness, and that he surrender his passport. Galeano is due back in East Boston District Court for a hearing on August 27.

Nagano was arraigned in Chelsea District Court by Judge Matthew Machera and pleaded not guilty to the charges. Conditions of release for Nagano include being fitted with a GPS monitoring device, having no contact with any victim, witness or each other, and staying away from the alleged crime scenes. He is due back in Chelsea District Court for a hearing on Sept. 4.

Also arraigned in the sex trafficking ring were was Cristina Lasso, 47, of Lynn, Jorge Lasso, 54, of Chelsea, Francisco Sanan Bay, 30, of Chelsea, Edmundo Rivera Gomez, 50, of Lynn, Donoban Yesid Arismendy Ospina, 25, of Lynn, Johana Henao Torres, 35 of Lynn and Luis Londono, 44, of Marlboro. All pled not guilty to Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Deriving Support from Prostitution, Conspiracy to Commit Trafficking.

In a press conference Healey said these arrests are the result of a joint local, state and federal investigation, led by the Massachusetts State Police High Risk Victims Unit and Attorney General’s State Police Detective Unit, with assistance from the State Police Troop A, Troop A Community Action Team, Crime Scene Services, Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section, Gang Unit, and Middlesex, Essex and Suffolk State Police Detective Units; the Lynn, Chelsea, Marlborough, Boston, Cambridge, and Lexington Police Departments; and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI).  

During the investigation, authorities developed evidence indicating that these defendants ran an organized criminal enterprise through various local residences where they offered customers the opportunity to pay for sexual contact with the victims.

The defendants allegedly recruited victims, advertised sexual services, set up locations and appointments for sexual encounters, transported the victims, escorted customers into the locations and facilitated the exchange of money.

Healey said the investigation remains ongoing. These charges are allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Healey has a dedicated Human Trafficking Division that focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged more than 50 individuals in connection with human trafficking.

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