NBC-2 News: Human trafficking arrest in Collier County

COLLIER COUNTY – A massive human trafficking ring uncovered homes in Lee and Collier Counties used as brothels.The latest arrest in Operation Human Freedom was made on Wednesday when Collier deputies took Miguel Aguilar of Tampa, charging him with human trafficking.

Another bust in Bonita Springs led to the arrest of Anahi Bengoechea — known as  Christina to the women she forced into sex slavery.

Operation Human Freedom investigated by the Officer of Statewide Prosecution began in 2013. More than 10 people have been arrested with Aguilar being the latest arrest. These men and women are accused of trafficking women to brothels across the state and threatening to hurt their families if they didn’t follow orders.

According to the report, some of those brothels are in Bonita Springs, Immokalee, and Naples.

“There’s definitely a trend for the traffickers to seek out local girls in local communities,” said Linda Oberhaus with the Shelter for Abused Women and Children.

Oberhaus says human trafficking is a growing problem and warns that all parents need to talk to their children about the dangers.

“I just think there needs to be open communication between parents and their children about the realities of human trafficking so we can keep kids in our community safe,” Oberhaus said.

She says parents should be checking their children’s social media accounts to make sure they aren’t chatting with anyone who may put them in danger as the law works to prosecute those who would hurt them.

“In Collier County, we’re seeing more of this, and that’s a testament to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. They have a human trafficking unit and they’ve done a really good job of identifying cases of human trafficking,” Oberhaus said.

Bonita Springs’ ‘brothel’

One of the brothels in Bonita Springs was near Dortch Avenue and Ragsdale Street. Neighbors told us they’re used to seeing multiple cars — as many as 30 per day — driving down the alleyway and through the gate to the entrance of the home.

Many neighbors we interviewed didn’t want to be on camera or even give us their names but say they remember what the house was like before they arrested Anahi Bengoechea — known as Christina to the women forced to have sex for money.

“She was nice and everything, but it was so awkward that so many cars coming in and going out,” said one anonymous neighbor.

“It surprised me, yeah it did, but I never in a million years thought something like that was going on,” said another neighbor.

The victims of the trafficking ring told law enforcement they would be forced to have sex with up to 60 men each day. Many of the victims were illegal immigrants who thought they were coming to Florida to work as nannies or maids.