Sexual exploitation network dismantled in Dominican tourist area

La Altagracia.- The Public Prosecutor’s Office has requested preventive detention for three Dominican citizens and one Haitian involved in a human trafficking network focused on sexual exploitation in Verón, Punta Cana. The Specialized Prosecutor’s Office against Illicit Trafficking of Migrants and Human Trafficking (PETT) and the La Altagracia Prosecutor’s Office are leading the investigation.

They have identified the main perpetrators as Domingo Lorenzo Santana (leader), Reyna Julissa Solano Monción (administrator), Richard de La Cruz Camacho, and Haitian citizen Berlin Erisme.

The group was apprehended after authorities raided a business disguised as a family residence, where they rescued 20 victims, including women and adolescents from the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Venezuela, and Colombia. The network reportedly charged between $200 and $600 for sexual services, catering primarily to tourists. The Judicial Office of Permanent Attention Services of La Altagracia has scheduled a hearing for Friday, August 30.

The investigation uncovered significant evidence, including financial records, payments for sexual services, and cash in both Dominican pesos and US dollars. The Public Prosecutor’s Office presented nearly 300 pieces of evidence to support the charges, which include human trafficking, sexual exploitation, pimping, and money laundering. They emphasized their ongoing commitment to dismantling such criminal organizations.