LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — Two Palm Beach County women are accused of running a human trafficking operation out of a Lake Worth Beach home, where a California woman was allegedly lured under false pretenses and forced into prostitution.
Diana Chaparro Contreras, 33, and Sandra Peralta Aguilar, 50, are each facing several charges, including human trafficking and profiting from or arranging prostitution. Both are now in the Palm Beach County Jail.
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According to investigators, the case began in January when the California victim applied for housekeeping jobs on Indeed. She was offered $35 an hour and was flown to Florida.
When she arrived at the Lake Worth Beach home on S. M Street, her passport, Social Security card, and work permit were taken. She told detectives she was threatened with deportation and was forced into sex with men who came into the home.
The victim told investigators she was kept in a room with boarded windows. The victim was allegedly forced to sleep with 7 men before she managed to escape by using a lamp to break through plywood boards. She says a possible 15-year-old girl was also present in the brothel.
Laura Cusack, an advocate with the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches, said the case is a reminder that trafficking can happen anywhere.
"It doesn't just happen in a vacuum or in the underground world. It could happen in the house next door," Cusack said.
Throughout the months-long investigation, officials found several men coming in and out of the house. In April, investigators learned the brothel had been moved to another location nearly a mile away. Investigators also found Chaparro handled more than $177,000 in cash and bank transactions.
Cusack said community awareness is one of the most effective tools in identifying trafficking operations.
"As a neighbor, person in the community, if you're educated, you'll start noticing things that might stand out to you. I think one of the most obvious ones would be any kind of high traffic," Cusack said.
She urged anyone who suspects trafficking activity to speak up. "These predators are in our community. They can target our children so it just takes one person to make the call, report what they see and that can make all the difference," Cusack said.
Anyone who suspects human trafficking activity is asked to contact the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office to report it. For additional information, contact the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches at 561-267-5783 or htcoalitionpb@gmail.com
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