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Alleged ringleader arrested in elaborate prostitution bust in Orange County

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — More than a dozen people are connected to a sex trafficking operation in Orange County, authorities said.

The accused ringleader, Manolo Santillan, was arrested after three years of surveillance by law enforcement.

Authorities said Santillan was charged with human trafficking and racketeering.

Agents said Santillan was hard to catch because he was familiar with law enforcement tactics.

Documents show that Santillan had called a meeting at his business to let his crew know he was being watched.

Santillan and at least 12 others are named in the human trafficking case.

The 33-year-old co-owner of the Ugly T-shirt company has been under surveillance at his homes several times over the years.

Agents said Santillan used the business to hide illegal income that he collected from prostitutes he controlled.

Documents show Santillan posted the ads and girls who worked for him had to turn over money they were paid to prostitute themselves.

Over the years, agents have identified many women who they said had been prostituted by Santillan, including some underage girls who reported being forced into prostitution on Backpage.com.

Authorities said some women had been prostitutes for Santiallan to pay off;drug debts.
Many of those girls and women had been afraid to come forward, and some said Santillan had threatened their families and beat them, authorities said.
The prostitution ring had been run out of two homes in Orlando and in hotel rooms across the city, investigators said.
The trial for some of the people charged in the case is set for October. Santillan’s trial date has not been set.
With Santiallan’s most recent arrest, his bail was denied because of a heroin trafficking charge he's is also facing.

Cox Media Group

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