Maryland man pleads guilty in scheme to transport prostitutes to work in Annapolis and Easton, Maryland brothels

BALTIMORE — A 28-year-old El Salvadoran national, residing in Annapolis, Md., pleaded guilty on Nov. 1 to transporting individuals to engage in prostitution in Annapolis and Easton, Md. The plea is a result of an investigation led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Annapolis Police Department.

Jose Antonio Reyes-Maradiaga will face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison at his sentencing before U.S. District Judge Benson Everett Legg scheduled for May 11, 2012.

According to Jose Antonio Reyes-Maradiaga's plea agreement, he assisted a codefendant who operated prostitutions near Annapolis and Easton, Md. On numerous occasions between June and November 2010, he was observed operating or riding in vehicles used to transport prostitutes between the brothels. Reyes-Maradiaga used cell phones to support the prostitution business.

On June 28, 2010, police stopped the vehicle Reyes-Maradiaga was operating. He was transported to the police station for processing due to driving without a license. Law enforcement searched his property which resulted in the recovery of two picture identification cards – one from El Salvador in the name of Jose Antonio Reyes-Maradiago and a Mexican license in the name of Luis Alberto Reyes – and a store receipt dated that same day for paper towels, condoms and other supplies for the brothel. Law enforcement also recovered $723.76 in cash and two cell phones containing the phone number for the Annapolis brothel.

This case was investigated by the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys P. Michael Cunningham and Rachel M. Yasser.