Mother and Son Sentenced for Sex Trafficking Minors in a Houston Cantina Backroom

Maria Botello-Morales and her son, Edgar Adrian Botello were sentenced for their lead roles in a Houston-based sex trafficking ring, which was based in a cantina they operated. The Mexican mother and son duo pleaded guilty in 2023 to several charges related to trafficking, including sex trafficking of minors, conspiracy, and possession of child pornography.

U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen sentenced Botello-Morales to 280 months in prison and Botello to 180 months, along with a 15-year supervised release upon completing his prison term.

During the supervised release, Botello will face restrictions on internet use and access to children. Both defendants will be required to register as sex offenders. Upon completing her prison sentence, Botello-Morales, who is undocumented, will face deportation proceedings.

The convictions stem from activities at Puerto Alegre, a Houston cantina run by Botello-Morales and Botello from 2015 to 2020. There, women, many of whom were undocumented, were coerced into commercial sex acts through intimidation, threats, and violence.

Victims reported that they initially worked as waitresses before being forced into sex work under the threat of violence. The establishment included backrooms specifically constructed for sexual acts, where victims were forced to comply under fear of harm, per authorities investigating the case.

Botello-Morales began trafficking activities as early as 2007, recruiting minors from Mexico and coercing them into commercial sex, collecting payments from the buyers directly. In the cantina, Botello acted as an enforcer, carrying weapons, distributing condoms, and collecting payments from the victims after each transaction.

When law enforcement searched the home Botello-Morales and Botello shared, they recovered firearms and child pornography, adding to the breadth of their criminal activities.

Another co-conspirator, Esteban Toribio, held the bar's liquor license and reported the trafficking activities to authorities in an attempt to gain control of the cantina. He, along with Arian Botello, a nephew of Botello-Morales, has been convicted in connection with the trafficking conspiracy.