Houston resident heads to prison for decades for trafficking minor

HOUSTON - A 21-year-old man has been sentenced to federal prison for sex trafficking of a 16-year-old girl for commercial sex, announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Antonio Dario Osoria-Avelar aka Pressure pleaded guilty April 18, 2023.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now ordered Osoria-Avelar to serve 360 months in federal prison. In handing down the prison term, the court heard additional information about his significant criminal history. He also gave a different minor victim to a criminal associate. The court also heard testimony from the victim who, with grace and strength, detailed how Osoria-Avelar's actions destroyed her familial relationships. In imposing the sentence, Judge Hanks noted although Osoria-Avelar attempted to claim immaturity, he still knew what he was doing and manipulated people and lost. Additionally, Judge Hanks noted Osoria-Avelar was a danger to those around him, and his actions will affect every relationship the victim has and will have.

Osoria-Avelar will also serve 15 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. He will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

"Osoria-Avelar claimed immaturity caused him to force a 16-year-old to walk the Blade, a notorious area known for prostitution. There is a difference between immaturity and evil, and Osoria-Avelar is evil," said Hamdani. "Those like Osoria-Avelar who take what they want by means of force or intimidation will never acquiesce to societal norms. Judge Hank's 30-year sentence protects society's most vulnerable from predators like Osario-Avelar."

"With today's sentence we have removed a dangerous predator from the community who used physical and sexual abuse, threats of violence and psychological manipulation to groom and control a minor victim and force her to engage in commercial sex for his own profit," said Special Agent in Charge Mark Dawson of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). "The unspeakable atrocities that he committed to break her down and control every aspect of her life are truly abhorrent, but unfortunately are all too common among human traffickers. HSI remains committed to continue to work alongside our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue the vile human trafficking organizations preying on our most vulnerable populations and to help connect victims with the trauma-informed services that they need to recover from their nightmare."

Osoria-Avelar trafficked a 16-year-old minor female for commercial sex during January 2023, with barely any clothes on in freezing temperatures. After recruiting her in Dallas, he brought her and another adult female he controlled to Houston to engage in commercial sex.

Osoria-Avelar manipulated the minor victim, provided her with a phone to track her and frequently brandished a firearm in her presence.

Throughout the time the minor victim was with him, Osoria-Avelar supplied her with drugs and condoms. He directed when she ate, slept and worked. He also set a daily quota of $500 for her and coerced her into walking the "track" and appearing in online ads for commercial sex.

When he was not causing her to engage in commercial sex, Osoria-Avelar was having violent sex with her himself, knowing she was just 16 years old. He also had the minor victim record videos of herself engaging in sex acts and sell them. Osoria-Avelar took all proceeds.

He has been and will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

HSI conducted the investigation with the assistance of Houston Police Department, Texas Juvenile Justice Department - Office of Inspector General as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney's office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Zack prosecuted the case.