SAN DIEGO, California — In a significant development in California, a multi-agency task force spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigation San Diego has secured a prison sentence of 106 months for Kenneth Tenorio, aged 54, convicted of transporting teens for prostitution, on January 11th, 2024. Tenorio’s criminal activities spanned multiple California sex trafficking cases, victimizing women and children, including those within the foster care system.
The investigation uncovered Tenorio’s use of the Megapersonals dating website to post commercial sex advertisements. He coerced the victims, including a 15-year-old, to give him a portion of the proceeds from engaging in commercial sex acts. Led by HSI, the Chula Vista Police Department, and the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, the collaborative effort behind the conviction exemplifies a regional, multi-agency initiative dedicated to supporting survivors and holding traffickers accountable.
Read more: How to Spot a Sex Trafficker
Meanwhile, in Texas, HSI Corpus Christi investigators, U.S. Border Patrol agents, and Cameron County Sheriff’s Office deputies played pivotal roles in convicting Paz Gomez-Magdaleno, a 43-year-old resident of Cameron County. Gomez-Magdaleno was sentenced to 60, 120, and 240 months for transporting illegal foreign nationals, possessing child pornography, and enticing a minor, respectively.
His apprehension occurred when a K-9 unit at a Border Patrol checkpoint discovered 20 people being smuggled into the U.S. hidden inside his tractor-trailer. Subsequent investigations, aided by search warrants for cellphones found inside, revealed Gomez-Magdaleno’s involvement. The perpetrator sought out minors, engaging in explicit exchanges for financial gain and gifts, while possessing disturbing material involving relatives and minors from the local community.
These convictions underscore the importance of collaborative efforts in combating human trafficking and child exploitation. The dedication of HSI agents, law enforcement agencies, and task forces across the nation remains a beacon of hope for survivors and a stern warning to those who perpetrate such egregious crimes.
