A man and woman are behind bars following a human trafficking investigation in Palm Beach County involving a 15-year-old girl. Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw held a news conference Monday where he announced the arrests of Enyerbert A. Blanco Blanco and Yenire K. Leiton. Leiton was arrested and charged with several counts of human trafficking and interference with the custody of a minor.Blanco Blanco was arrested and charged with interference of custody and resisting arrest without violence. Bradshaw said more charges could follow once their investigation is complete.Sgt. Carlos Lisboa with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said their office received an anonymous tip Thursday about a minor being used in advertisements known to facilitate human trafficking of commercial sex workers. “The minor depicted was a 15-year-old minor that was missing runaway out of New York City,” Lisboa said. He said their unit attempted an undercover operation to make contact with the 15-year-old, but the operation was terminated. The next day, Lisboa said investigators were able to trace the victim and suspects to a Motel 6 in Riviera Beach. “The minor female’s location was narrowed down to the area of I-95 and Blue Heron,” he added. Once they received the motel room number, investigators went inside and made contact with the victim. The two suspects were found in a separate room and were detained for questioning. “The trafficker recruited the victim after receiving her contact information from an unknown source. The trafficker transported the victim from Miami to Palm Beach County to work in commercial sex,” Lisboa said. “The victim advised the trafficker would coordinate dates with men for money and direct them to the minor victim’s room.”He said they believe both Leiton and Blanco Blanco played a part in the trafficking, but as of now, their evidence shows Leiton to be the main coordinator of the commercial sex dates. Lisboa said the victim and suspects were only in Palm Beach County for roughly two days, and while here, the victim was set up to have sex with several men ranging from 19 years old to men in their mid-50s. Bradshaw and Lisboa said Leiton acknowledged Blanco Blanco as being “either a fiance or boyfriend or baby daddy or something like that.” “His (Blanco Blanco’s) role at this time, we’re still investigating the totality of his role, but he seemed to be involved just as much as a female,” Lisboa said. Bradshaw said both Leiton and Blanco Blanco are in the country illegally, and Blanco Blanco has a criminal history. “Here’s a guy, deported, now he’s illegally back in the country for a second time, so obviously whatever this vetting system is at the border ain’t working,” Bradshaw said. He said Blanco Blanco has prior offenses in both New York and Miami. “How could he be out on bond for an attempted murder out of New York? He gets arrested in Miami for drug trafficking, and he’s out walking around. That’s unconscionable,” Bradshaw added. He said that won’t happen in Palm Beach County. “I can tell you one thing folks, that female and this guy here that was involved in this, their butts are staying in my jail,” he said. “They’re not coming out. We’ve got ICE for a detainer, and there’s no bond. So they are going to stay in jail here. They’re not going back out and revictimize people out here.”Bradshaw and Lisboa said, while it’s not confirmed, they believe Blanco Blanco is affiliated with a Venezuelan gang. “The point is it doesn’t have to happen. They shouldn’t be here. That’s the sad part about this, that the families are angry because they shouldn’t be here to do this,” Bradshaw said.Bradshaw explained the victim is safe and will return to New York. Lisboa said the men confirmed to have had sex with the victim could potentially face charges, but their investigation is still very active. This is a developing story. Top headlines:Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25 Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —
A man and woman are behind bars following a human trafficking investigation in Palm Beach County involving a 15-year-old girl.
Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw held a news conference Monday where he announced the arrests of Enyerbert A. Blanco Blanco and Yenire K. Leiton.
Leiton was arrested and charged with several counts of human trafficking and interference with the custody of a minor.
Blanco Blanco was arrested and charged with interference of custody and resisting arrest without violence. Bradshaw said more charges could follow once their investigation is complete.
Sgt. Carlos Lisboa with the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said their office received an anonymous tip Thursday about a minor being used in advertisements known to facilitate human trafficking of commercial sex workers.
“The minor depicted was a 15-year-old minor that was missing runaway out of New York City,” Lisboa said.
He said their unit attempted an undercover operation to make contact with the 15-year-old, but the operation was terminated.
The next day, Lisboa said investigators were able to trace the victim and suspects to a Motel 6 in Riviera Beach.
“The minor female’s location was narrowed down to the area of I-95 and Blue Heron,” he added.
Once they received the motel room number, investigators went inside and made contact with the victim. The two suspects were found in a separate room and were detained for questioning.
“The trafficker recruited the victim after receiving her contact information from an unknown source. The trafficker transported the victim from Miami to Palm Beach County to work in commercial sex,” Lisboa said. “The victim advised the trafficker would coordinate dates with men for money and direct them to the minor victim’s room.”
He said they believe both Leiton and Blanco Blanco played a part in the trafficking, but as of now, their evidence shows Leiton to be the main coordinator of the commercial sex dates.
Lisboa said the victim and suspects were only in Palm Beach County for roughly two days, and while here, the victim was set up to have sex with several men ranging from 19 years old to men in their mid-50s.
Bradshaw and Lisboa said Leiton acknowledged Blanco Blanco as being “either a fiance or boyfriend or baby daddy or something like that.”
“His (Blanco Blanco’s) role at this time, we’re still investigating the totality of his role, but he seemed to be involved just as much as a female,” Lisboa said.
Bradshaw said both Leiton and Blanco Blanco are in the country illegally, and Blanco Blanco has a criminal history.
“Here’s a guy, deported, now he’s illegally back in the country for a second time, so obviously whatever this vetting system is at the border ain’t working,” Bradshaw said. He said Blanco Blanco has prior offenses in both New York and Miami. “How could he be out on bond for an attempted murder out of New York? He gets arrested in Miami for drug trafficking, and he’s out walking around. That’s unconscionable,” Bradshaw added.
He said that won’t happen in Palm Beach County.
“I can tell you one thing folks, that female and this guy here that was involved in this, their butts are staying in my jail,” he said. “They’re not coming out. We’ve got ICE for a detainer, and there’s no bond. So they are going to stay in jail here. They’re not going back out and revictimize people out here.”
Bradshaw and Lisboa said, while it’s not confirmed, they believe Blanco Blanco is affiliated with a Venezuelan gang.
“The point is it doesn’t have to happen. They shouldn’t be here. That’s the sad part about this, that the families are angry because they shouldn’t be here to do this,” Bradshaw said.
Bradshaw explained the victim is safe and will return to New York.
Lisboa said the men confirmed to have had sex with the victim could potentially face charges, but their investigation is still very active.
This is a developing story.
Top headlines:
Stay up to date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.