Prostitution ring arrests made
By John Joyce
Published in News on September 4, 2015 1:46 PM
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Jorge Enrique Cirvelli Lazo
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Mario Diaz Jemenez
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Wilfredo Meja Hernandez
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Maritza Perez
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Rosario Dejesus Marcelo
A four-month investigation into a prostitution ring operating in Seven Springs resulted in five arrests Aug. 28, according to a Wayne County Sheriff's Office press release.
A potential link to human trafficking is being investigated.
"That is something we are trying to rule out," Wayne County Sheriff Larry Pierce said.
All five suspects were arrested in a raid conducted by the Sheriff's Office Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Team, Pierce said.
"It is primarily a Spanish community. They were the primary 'customers,'" he said.
The suspects' addresses are either out of town, out of state or unknown, according to each of their arrest reports.
The investigation began with a complaint of prostitution activities in Seven Springs back in April, according to the press release.
No undercover officers were used in the operation, Pierce said. Investigators instead relied on surveillance and the use of an informant.
The investigation led ACE Team deputies to a house at 133 Drummersville Road. Inside the home were Wilfredo Meja Hernandez, 50, address unknown, and Mario Diaz Jemenez, 45, address unknown. Each man is charged with a single count of patronizing a place of prostitution, and both were placed in the Wayne County Detention Center under $5,000 secured bonds.
Two women with out of state addresses -- Rosario Dejesus Marcelo, 29, of Texas, and Maritza Perez, 33, of New York -- were also located inside the residence and are both charged with prostitution.
A third man, 24-year-old Jorge Enrique Cirvelli Lazo, of Greensboro, is charged with aiding and abetting prostitution. All three suspects, Lazo and the two women, were jailed under $1,500 secured bonds.
The investigation remains active and further arrests are pending.