Osleidy Vanesa Chourio Diaz, age 28, a Venezuelan national, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, announced U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall.
Today’s conviction is the third conviction in this ongoing investigation. Previously, in April 2025, Josmar Jesus Zambrano-Chirinos, age 25, a Venezuelan national, pleaded guilty to sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion, and in January 2026, Allbert Herrera Machado, age 25, also a Venezuelan national, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion.
According to admissions made during their guilty pleas, between February 2024 and April 26, 2024, Zambrano, Chourio Diaz and others were involved in a scheme to recruit women from outside the United States, to arrange for them to enter the United States illegally, and, using force, threats of force, fraud, coercion, and a combination of such means, to cause them to work as prostitutes. Machado knowingly agreed to assist the scheme.
In furtherance of the scheme, Zambrano and Chourio Diaz rented an apartment in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where at least two women lived and worked as prostitutes. In early 2024, Zambrano and Chourio Diaz assisted the first victim as she entered the United States illegally from Mexico. Zambrano discussed with the victim in advance that she would owe a substantial debt to Zambrano and others; that she would be working as a prostitute in the United States; and that while she would keep some of the funds from her prostitution activities, most of the funds would be applied to her debt. Zambrano also facilitated a second victim’s travel to Baton Rouge. Zambrano and Chourio Diaz arranged for the victim to work as a prostitute out of the apartment they had rented, and they led the victim to believe that she, too, owed them a large debt.
Meanwhile, Machado resided at the apartment with the victims and controlled their day-to-day movements and activities. Machado would message customers to schedule sexual encounters with the victims and collect and control payments from customers, who paid in cash. He would also communicate with Zambrano and Chourio Diaz regarding the victims and would receive instructions regarding (a) how much and how often the victims should work, (b) what portion of the proceeds the victims could keep, and (c) whether and under what circumstances the victims could leave the apartment.
On April 26, 2024, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a 911 call placed by one of the victims at the apartment. Deputies arrived at the residence and located Machado and two victims inside the apartment. During a subsequent search of the apartment, deputies recovered evidence confirming that the apartment was being used as part of a prostitution business, including stacks of cash, numerous used condoms, sexual items and devices, multiple cell phones containing messages from potential “clients” who were asking to meet, and several ledger books that appeared to document how much money each of the victims had made each day and how much of their debt remained.
If convicted, each defendant faces a lengthy federal prison sentence, as well as the forfeiture of any and all proceeds from the offense. They are each also subject to removal or deportation from the United States upon completing their sentences.
U.S. Attorney Kurt L. Wall praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office with valuable assistance from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Benjamin M. Anderson and Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel, lead the prosecution.
This case is part of Operation Take Back America , a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.
Source: U.S. Attorney’s Office — Middle District of Louisiana — U.S. Department of Justice press release.