Two undocumented Venezuelans sentenced to years in prison on child sex trafficking charges

Two undocumented Venezuelan migrants have been sentenced to years in prison after they were found guilty on child sex trafficking charges following an investigation by the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

One of the two, Nelson Adrian Perez-Martinez, illegally entered the U.S. through Texas in 2023 and was arrested by U.S. Border Patrol — but was then released by the Biden administration shortly thereafter, according to a Homeland Security Department press release on Monday. Federal officials haven’t pinpointed when or where the other migrant, Giannys Alexandra Ramirez-Fernandez, entered the U.S.

The two were sentenced in Texas’ Western District on June 23: Perez-Martinez to 20 years, and Ramirez-Fernandez to 12 and a half years. Both were found guilty on charges of conspiracy to traffic a child and transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

Perez-Martinez was also found guilty of benefiting from sex trafficking of children and aiding and abetting coercion and enticement. 

“Under the Biden Administration, unaccompanied minors were placed with unvetted sponsors who were actually smugglers and sex traffickers,” Acting Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement. “President Trump and Secretary Mullin are committing to locating these children and holding child sex traffickers accountable.”

San Antonio’s HSI office led the investigation with help from HSI Houston, HSI Seattle, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, ICE, U.S. Border Patrol and the FBI.

Katherine Pugh is a reporter for Just the News. Follow her on X for more coverage.