Asbury Park Woman Helped Run NJ Prostitution Ring, Police Charge

ASBURY PARK, NJ — An Asbury Park woman is accused — along with seven men — of running a prostitution and sex trafficking ring across New Jersey, according to New Jersey State Police.

The ring primarily operated out of Trenton and in Mercer County.

The Asbury Park woman charged is Laura Macolas Aguirre, 44.

The charges, unveiled Thursday, come after a four-month-long investigation and undercover sting done by NJ State Police. State Police detectives say women were smuggled into the country and forced into prostitution. Many of the young women were underage, say police.

Paulino Macolas-Aguirre, 43, of Trenton, was identified as the ringleader of the operation. He, the other men and the Asbury Park woman have all been charged with first-degree human trafficking, promoting child prostitution, endangering the welfare of a child and other offenses.

The victims were kept in a home on Hudson Street in Trenton, said police, among other undisclosed locations in Mercer County.

Detectives discovered that one of the victims was smuggled from Mexico to Texas under the belief that she would be working in a restaurant. However, she was forced into human sex trafficking. The teenage girl, a juvenile under the age of 18, was then forced into prostitution in Asbury Park before being moved to Trenton, State Police said.

Search warrants were executed at various homes in Trenton on May 11 by State Police, Trenton Police Department, Asbury Park Police Department, ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations Fugitive Unit and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice.

As a result, nine total female victims were found, police said. Detectives said they were all smuggled into the United States under the pretense they would be provided legitimate employment, such as working in restaurants.

Here are the names of the suspects and what they have been charged with:

Paulino Macola- Aguirre, 43, of Trenton, N.J

• Two counts of 1st Degree Human Trafficking
• 1st Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 1st Degree Promoting Child Prostitution
• 2nd Degree Facilitating Human Trafficking
• 2nd Degree Sexual Assault
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution
• Conspiracy

Daniel Bonito Camara, 55, of Trenton, N.J.

• 1st Degree Human Trafficking
• 1st Degree Promoting Child Prostitution
• 1st Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 2nd Degree Facilitating Human Trafficking
• 2nd Degree Hindering Apprehension
• 2nd Degree Conspiracy to Commit Witness Tampering
• 2nd Degree Conspiracy to Commit Hindering Apprehension
• 2nd Degree Hindering Apprehension
• 3rd Degree Hindering apprehension
• 3rd Degree Witness Tampering
• 3rd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution

Edy Villeda Estrada, 39, of Trenton, N.J.

• 1st Degree Human Trafficking
• 1st Degree Promoting Child Prostitution
• 1st Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 2nd Degree Facilitating Human Trafficking
• 3rd Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution

Efran Melocastillo, 30, of Trenton, N.J.

• Conspiracy
• 2nd Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution

Jose Gabriel Camara Perico, 30 of Trenton, N.J.

• Conspiracy
• 2nd Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution

Laura Macolas Aguirre, 44 of Asbury Park, N.J.

• Conspiracy
• 1st Degree Human Trafficking
• 2nd Degree Facilitating Human Trafficking
• 2nd Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution

Daniel Handerson Camara Perico, 31 of Trenton, N.J.

• Conspiracy
• 2nd Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution
• 2nd Conspiracy to commit Tampering with Witness

Daniela Penco-Camara, 28 of Trenton, N.J.

• Conspiracy
• 2nd Degree Promoting Organized Street Crime
• 3rd Degree Money Laundering
• 3rd Degree Maintaining a House of Prostitution
• 2nd Conspiracy to commit Tampering with Witness

Daniel Handerson Camara Perico and Daniela Penco-Camara remain at large. All other suspects were lodged in Mercer County Jail pending detention hearings.

"The trafficking of human beings is horrific, particularly when it involves the sexual exploitation of vulnerable women and girls lured to this country under the promise of a better life," New Jersey Acting Attorney General Platkin said in a statement.