CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTW/AP) – Federal prosecutors say a man conspired with his wife and mother to traffic three minors for sex in South Carolina to help him make bail.
The U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release on Monday that 22-year-old Zerrell Fuentes, his 24-year-old wife, Brianna Wright, and his 53-year-old mother, Tanya Fuentes each face a number of sex trafficking charges. A federal grand jury issued an eight-count indictment on Friday.
Prosecutiors say while he was incarcerated, Zerrell Fuentes organized for his wife, Brianna, to drive the victims from Charlotte, North Carolina to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Zerrell’s mother, Tanya Fuentes, also traveled with her daughter-in-law and paid for lodging for herself and the minor victims.
Brianna placed internet ads for commercial sex acts, provided her phone number to potential customers to arrange “dates” between the victims and customers and drove the minors to those pre-arranged prostitution dates.
The money from the conspiracy would be used to pay his bond so he could get out of jail, the bill of indictment said.
Zerrell Fuentes was already in custody on a federal firearms violation. Wright and Tanya Fuentes had a court appearance scheduled for Monday.The Associated Press contributed to this report.