WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — A West Palm Beach woman was arrested last week, accused of running multiple human trafficking and prostitution rings across Palm Beach County alongside her own family.
Deputies said 31-year-old Laura Saucedo Torres operated several brothels with her husband and her brother.
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According to investigators with the Palm Beach County Sheriffs office at least four active brothels were uncovered in Lake Worth and West Palm Beach, where women were being trafficked.
WPTV’s Zitlali Solache spoke with Laura Cusack, a human trafficking advocate, about the growing crisis in our local neighborhoods.
“I think it definitely opens the eyes of the community to see this is an issue that’s happening right here,” said Cusack, Director of Programs for the Human Trafficking Coalition of the Palm Beaches. “So many people think this is overseas or somewhere else, another state, but it is here in Palm Beach County.”
Detectives learned three of the locations were in Lake Worth — on Allison Court, A Street and D Street and another on 30th Court in West Palm Beach.
Torres, her husband and her brother allegedly advertised young women for sex, and used threats to maintain their operation in control.
Investigators said the group’s network had ties to another brothel WPTV first reported on in February when two Guatemalan men were arrested and accused of human trafficking.
“It’s not just a male trafficker,” said Cusack. “It’s not that creepy white van, it can be next door, a female trafficker in broad day light perhaps.”
Detectives said Torres fled to Mexico at one point, leaving her three children alone, of ages 17, 12 and 10. One of them was forced to help manage the brothels — transporting victims and handling cash deposits.
In one report, a female victim told investigators she came to the area looking for work. She met a man at a restaurant who offered to pay her for a massage. When she arrived at the address, she realized it was a brothel and was told she would have to perform sexual acts with men. The woman told detectives she felt pressured to go along because she needed the money. Eventually, the victim tired to leave and was allegedly threatened with a gun.
On June 4, detectives served six search warrants. Inside Torres’ home, investigators found $80,000 in cash hidden inside a stuffed animal and records showing more than $18,000 in wire transfers overseas.
Cusack said community awareness plays a huge role in identifying trafficking close to home.
“Is there a lot of traffic coming and going from your neighbors house?,” said Cusack. “Different cars, not the same cars every week, different cars, coming and going in all hours of the night. More awareness like that can lead to more arrests, can lead to making our community safer and eradicating human trafficking.”
Court records do not indicate Torres' husband and brother have any pending charges related to the case.
