Mexican National Esperanza Mani-Cortez Sentenced to 20 Years Without Parole in Sex Trafficking of 11, 14-year old girls.
By Mary K. Miraglia
HACKENSACK, N.J. (April 21, 2017) — A Philadelphia woman was sentenced to 20 years in state prison Friday, April 21 for habitually pimping out two girls, 11 and 14, to her Englewood boyfriend.
Esperanza Mani-Cortez, 44, pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking. In addition to the two 20 years terms, which will be served at the same time, Mani-Cortez is subject to a $25,000 fine by state law — although Judge James J. Guida said it would undoubtedly never be paid. She will have to serve the full term because she isn’t eligible for parole for the same 20 years. And, according to her attorney and Judge James J. Guida, she will be deported back to her native Mexico as soon as she’s released.
Defense attorney Robert N. Kalisch of the Bergen County Public Defender said he had done the best he could for his client, negotiating the minimum sentence allowed under state law, but there was nothing left for him to say.
“I have handled many very serious cases in my career and at sentencing, have been a man of not too few words, “Kalisch said. “But in this case, there is nothing more I can say. I did my very best to get the minimum sentence allowed under the law for my client, and I have nothing to add. She will be sentenced to 20 years by statute and 20 years parole ineligibility, and she will be deported.”
Assistant Bergen County Prosecutor Demetra Maurice, chief of the Special Victims Unit, said Mani-Cortez had pleaded guilty to human trafficking of two little girls that she regularly sent on a bus, by themselves, to Englewood where they basically served as sex slaves to her co defendant and boyfriend, Alfredo Rosales Guerrero. Each girl took turns, riding the bus to Englewood and staying overnight with Rosales Guerrero, who lived at 259 Howland Ave. Mani-Cortez would then drive to Englewood the next day and get money, food and clothing and then she would say overnight with Rosales Guerrero, driving back to Philadelphia the next day with the girl for that weekend.
When one of the girls objected she said it was necessary because she needed the money to support her family.
“She did say she was worried one of the girls would get pregnant,” Maurice said, “but Rosales Guerrero assured he he wouldn’t allow that to happen.”
Mani-Cortez pleaded guilty to two counts of human trafficking, in part to spare the girls the ordeal of a trial. Maurice said she did the same, settling for less time but “a conviction in this case could easily have resulted in two sentences of 40 years.”
In pronouncing sentence, Guida expressed outrage at Mani-Cortez’ conduct. “ The nature of the offense is depraved, despicable, and amounts to selling the girls into sex slavery on a per diem basis,” the judge said. “It was a method of supporting her family.
Other aggravating factors the judge considered were a prior criminal record of abuse and neglect, and the risk of another offense. “Why her children were not removed is another question,” the judge said. “And but for being caught, she would still be doing it.”
Mani-Cortez admitted to purchasing bus and train tickets to transport the girls, separately, to Englewood from Philadelphia to engage in sexual activity with Rosales Guerrero, then driving to Englewood to pick them up along with the money, food and clothing that constituted payment for the sex services.
Guida found no mitigating factors. “There is no reason at all for this despicable conduct,” he said. “This court could have easily sentenced her to 40 years New Jersey state prison, of which all 40 would have to be served.”
Mani-Cortez was arrested when a Philadelphia neighbor called the police. She had a conversation with the defendant she thought was peculiar, then saw the girls being left alone and thought something wasn’t right. The neighbor’s instincts proved well-founded.
Rosales Guerrero has made no plea agreement, so is expected to go trial.
