9 Guatemalans indicted in sex ring

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nine Guatemalans were indicted for their roles in an alleged sex trafficking ring that lured young women to the United States with promises of good jobs and then forced them into prostitution, according to federal court records.

Four of the defendants pleaded not guilty in January to sex trafficking charges in the case. A superseding indictment, unsealed Thursday, includes more serious allegations that five of the 12 victims were minors.

According to the new 50-count indictment, the defendants at times sold Guatemalan women and girls to one another like slaves and allegedly brought the victims to witch doctors who threatened to put curses on them and their families if they ran away.

“These young women were enticed into coming to this country by promises of the American dream only to arrive and discover that what awaited was a nightmare,” said Robert Schoch, a special agent in charge for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The investigation began last year when two victims escaped with the help of a male customer and contacted authorities, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Two other victims were rescued by investigators in November. Ten women at the locations raided also were believed to have been working as prostitutes.