A couple from Marion County, Florida, has been arrested and charged with human trafficking for taking advantage of women they bailed out of jail. According to the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, this Central Florida couple engaged in criminal activity by bonding the victims out of jail, offering them shelter, and then forcing them into prostitution.
The suspects, 34-year-old Joselito Martinez Gonzalez and 30-year-old Tanya Wurster, allegedly worked on this trafficking operation from 2019 to 2021.
Their motive involved providing the women a place to stay after posting their bail and subsequently advertising their services online to customers. Shockingly, financial records obtained by the MBI indicate that Martinez-Gonzalez and Wurster collected all the earnings, amassing as much as $300,000 from their victims based on Orlando Sentinel.
“The agency said the victims sometimes have the hair shaved off of their heads or would be tattooed for branding purposes, in addition to being subject to threats of violence, as a way of controlling the victims.”
What’s even more distressing is that the couple’s minor child was often present in the home while these commercial sex activities took place. Agents reported that Martinez-Gonzalez and Wurster were always on the search for new victims to exploit.
Martinez-Gonzalez is facing three counts of human trafficking, while Wurster faces three counts of deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution. “Martinez-Gonzalez faces three counts of human trafficking, booking records show. He made his first appearance in court Friday, was appointed a public defender, and was given a bond total of $45,000, or $15,000 for each count,” in conformity with Click Orlando.
“Wurster faces three counts of deriving support from the proceeds of prostitution, booking records show. For both individuals, records indicate an offense date of Oct. 1, 2019, on all relevant charges, as Martinez-Gonzalez is facing an otherwise unrelated charge of violating probation.”
In the past, both individuals had served prison time for their involvement in an unemployment benefit scam.
The Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation, or MBI, is a specialized task force that operates across Orange and Osceola Counties, focused on combating organized crime, narcotics, vice, and other criminal activities.
This case is a stark reminder of the importance of law enforcement agencies and organizations working together to combat such heinous crimes. Human trafficking remains a serious issue, and efforts must continue to rescue victims and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions.
