Three men have been arrested in a human trafficking case that involved underage students in St. Vrain Valley Schools, the Boulder County District Attorney’s Office announced Friday.
Mario Moreno, Angelo Torres and Aldair Garcia Rodriguez are accused of giving drugs to the students in exchange for sexual acts and money, the office said.
The three men sold or exchanged cocaine, MDMA and marijuana across the school district, according to officials.
Moreno faces 59 charges, including sex assault on a child, human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, 22 counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor and 7 counts of child abuse.
Torres faces one count of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, one count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and another count of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor.
Rodrigez faces five charges, including three counts of human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude and two counts of distribution of a controlled substance to a minor.
The men were arrested after an investigation by the Longmont Police Department and the district attorney’s office into social media, bank and phone records obtained by search warrants, the DA’s office said.
Longmont Police Chief Jeff Satur said the investigation included “hundreds of hours of surveillance, over 50 search warrants, and combing through thousands of lines of conversation in social media files.”
“The Longmont Police Department appreciates all our partners who helped with this investigation and our partnership with the Boulder County D.A.’s Office and their investigators,” Satur said in a news release. “This was a significant and labor-intensive investigation. We are proud of our team. Their commitment to our community’s well-being, the safety of the school-aged children, and the community’s safety is second to none.”
District Attorney Michael Dougherty said the three men “targeted and preyed upon” students.
“As illustrated by the charges of human trafficking and sex crimes, these men used narcotics to victimize young people,” he said in the release. “These indictments are the direct result of rigorous efforts by the Longmont Police Department and the outstanding teamwork between the investigators and prosecutors. Our office will continue to support the victims and our team is committed to fighting for the right result.”
Torres is being held on a $200,000 bond and Rodriguez is being held on a $1 million bond. Each face up to 48 years in prison for the human trafficking charges and up to 32 years for their other felony charges.
Moreno is being held on a $2 million bond. He faces up to life in prison, the DA’s office said.
The district attorney’s office and Longmont Police Department believe there may be more victims. Anyone who may have been impacted is asked to contact Longmont Police Detective Daniel Kilian at 303-774-3693 or District Attorney Senior Investigator Edna Munoz at 303-441-1355.
