A New York police officer and five Queens residents have been accused of being involved in a sex trafficking ring involving children.
According to the Department of Justice, Luz Elvira Cardona, Roberto Cesar Cid Dominguez, Cristian Noe Godinez, Blanca Hernandez Morales, Jose Facundo Zarate Morales, and Wayne Peiffer have been charged with conspiracy to transport minors and the transportation of minors, sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act extortion, promotion of prostitution, use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and related conspiracy counts.
The group allegedly lured young women and girls from Mexico to travel to the U.S., promising them a better life while forcing them into prostitution across New York once they arrived.
“The individuals named in the indictment were part of an elaborate network of conspirators that used deception and coercion to sell dreams of a better life in the United States to young and impressionable women, who arrived only to be forced into a miserable life of torment, sexual abuse and prostitution at the hands of their captors,” Acting Special Agent of Homeland Security Investigations, Ricky J. Patel, said in a statement.
Peiffer, a 48-year-old Village of Brewster police officer, allegedly protected the operation in exchange for free sexual services. Authorites claim the young women were at times delivered to Peiffer to perform sexual acts at the Villiage of Brewster Police Station.
“Our arrest of a police officer isn’t the most egregious facet of this investigation,” FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael Driscoll stated. “We allege Mr. Peiffer had sex with the girls being trafficked as payment for his protection of the traffickers.”
Driscoll continued, “The oath law enforcement officers take affirms they will serve and protect law-abiding citizens and vulnerable members of the community, not aid and abet criminals who are abusing young girls and forcing them to have sex against their will.”
