United States of America v. Maria Candelaria Zambrano Zavala and Humberto Rangel-Torres

St. Paul, Minnesota criminal defense lawyer represented defendant who was charged with sex trafficking of a minor.



Zambrano Zavala began transporting and providing a minor for commercial sex to Rangel-Torres, who was at the time a construction worker residing at a hotel in Bloomington. On at least three occasions, Rangel-Torres arranged for commercial sex acts through Zambrano Zavala and paid Zambrano Zavala or the minor in cash for each commercial sex act.



"These defendants showed no regard for the health and safety of a minor and instead prioritized their own gratification and profit,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Anders Folk. "The commercial sexual exploitation of minors is a horrifying crime and one that the U.S. Attorney's Office and our law enforcement partners have zero tolerance for.”



"Apprehending human traffickers who take advantage of children, and rescuing those exploited will always be a top priority for HSI,” said Jamie Holt, acting special agent in charge HSI St. Paul. "HSI and our law enforcement partners, like the Bloomington Police Department, will not relent in our investigations until every trafficker is behind bars and every victim is rescued.”



Zambrano Zavala pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor, and Rangel-Torres pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor. Zambrano Zavala faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.



W. Anders Folk, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota and Jamie Holt, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) St. Paul, made the announcement after U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud accepted the pleas.



This case is the result of an investigation conducted by HSI and the Bloomington Police Department.



Assistant U.S. Attorneys Manda M. Sertich and Evan B. Gilead are prosecuting the case.



18:1591(a), (b)(2) and (c), and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR

(1)

18:1591(a), (b)(2), and (c), and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR

(1s)

18:1591(a) and (b)(1), and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING BY FORCE, FRAUD AND COERCION

(2)

18:1591(a), (b)(1), (b)(2), and (c), and 1594(c) CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR AND SEX TRAFFICKING BY FORCE, FRAUD AND COERCION

(2s)

18:1591(a), (b)(2), and (c), and 1594(a) and (c) SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR

(3)

18:1591(a), (b)(2), and (c), and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING OF A MINOR

(3s)

18:1591(a), (b)(1), and 1594(a) and (c) SEX TRAFFICKING BY FORCE, FRAUD AND COERCION

(4)

18:1591(a) and (b)(1), and 1594(a) SEX TRAFFICKING BY FORCE, FRAUD AND COERCION

(4s)

04/26/2021 143 NOTICE of Interpreter Confirmation of Cancellation as to Maria Candelaria Zambrano Zavala and Humberto Rangel-Torres. Andrea Anastasi has been cancelled for 9:00 AM on 4/30/2021 re 98 Pretrial Conference. (RMM) (Entered: 04/26/2021)

04/26/2021 144 NOTICE of Interpreter Confirmation of Cancellation as to Maria Candelaria Zambrano Zavala and Humberto Rangel-Torres. Esperanza Lopez-Dominguez has been cancelled for 9:00 AM on 4/30/2021 re 99 Pretrial Conference. (RMM) (Entered: 04/26/2021)

04/26/2021 145 NOTICE of Interpreter Confirmation of Cancellation as to Maria Candelaria Zambrano Zavala and Humberto Rangel-Torres. Andrea Anastasi has been cancelled for 9:00 AM on 5/3/2021 re 100 Trial. (RMM) (Entered: 04/26/2021)

04/26/2021 146 NOTICE of Interpreter Confirmation of Cancellation as to Maria Candelaria Zambrano Zavala and Humberto Rangel-Torres. Esperanza Lopez-Dominguez has been cancelled for 9:00 AM on 5/3/2021 re 101 Trial. (RMM) (Entered: 04/26/2021)