On Monday, 10 individuals made their first appearance in federal court after a raid on alleged brothels in Memphis.
"It's their initial appearance, where they are read their charges," said Leigh Anne Jordan, Law Enforcement Coordinator of the U.S. Attorney's Office. "They may or may not have a detainment hearing at that time."
According to the Associated Press, the court appearance stemmed from an alleged Hispanic prostitution ring raid that occurred Oct. 13, involving the U.S. Attorney's Office, the FBI, the Memphis Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
The raid involved about 150 authorities.
The 15-count indictment claims that the men advertised the prostitution services with business cards.
Men, who paid $30 for 15 minutes with a woman, were given a poker chip or bead to show they had paid.
Raul Santillan-Leon, Raymundo Flores, Fernando Reyes-Santillan, Ramiro Sanchez-Garcia, Diego Cortes-Barrientos, Rodolfo Cortes-Barrientos, and Christobal Flores Angeles were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, harboring illegal aliens and failing to file a factual statement about an illegal alien.
Also, Santillian Leon, Flores, Reyes-Santillan, Sanchez-Garcia, Cortes Barrientos, and Flores Angeles were charged with enticing women to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.
The ring, involving six homes and apartments in Memphis, included four residences within four miles of The University of Memphis. The closest home was off Summer Avenue and Perkins Road.
The proximity of the brothels bothered some U of M students.
"I feel that prostitution as a whole is wrong and for something to be so close to campus is scary," said Tiffany McGhee, a sophomore business management major.
Other students thought that the idea of prostitution, in general, was bad.
"I think it's sad that people think they have to resort to outside sexual gratification; that they would have to pay for it," said Debra Anders, a sophomore nursing major.
The indictment also alleges the defendants divided the proceeds from prostitution activities, as well as paid the rent, utilities, cell phone bills and for transportation.
The women involved, mostly illegal immigrants, came from New York, Illinois, Georgia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Colombia to work in the establishments.
The Memphis FBI could not release any comment on the arrests.
As to whether or not this type of crime has happened in Memphis before, Jordan said, "We would not be able to talk about whether it is common."
