A 46-year-old Cuban man has been sentenced to 17 years and six months in a federal prison in Texas for forcing three Cuban women to work in adult entertainment venues to pay off immigration debts of up to $50,000 that he imposed on them.
The individual, identified as Yoirlan Tome-Rojas, financed the journey of these women from Cuba to the United States. However, upon their arrival, he subjected them to a labor exploitation scheme that prevented them from leaving their jobs or accessing their earnings.
On October 19, the U.S. Department of Justice reported that Tome-Rojas paid for flights, accommodations, drivers, and traffickers to facilitate the women's illegal crossing from Mexico into the United States.
According to court documents, he forced the women to incur debts as high as $50,000 and made them work seven days a week in adult entertainment clubs while he took control of their earnings.
For several months, Tome-Rojas transported the victims between clubs in Indiana, Michigan, and San Antonio, Texas.
The exploitation scheme included continuously increasing their debts with charges for food, clothing, lodging, and transportation, making it even harder for them to escape his control.
Two of the women were under his control for about three months, during which time, according to Tome-Rojas, they only managed to pay off approximately $1,000 of their debt.
Court documents reveal that the victims feared for their lives and the safety of their families still residing in Cuba.
The San Antonio Express-News reported that the women received death threats and that the case came to light after San Antonio Police received a tip-off in March 2024.
Tome-Rojas pleaded guilty on June 3, 2026, to three counts of human trafficking for labor exploitation.
Federal Judge Xavier Rodríguez sentenced him to 210 months for each of the three charges, to be served concurrently, resulting in an effective sentence of 17.5 years.
The U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, Justin R. Simmons, described the case as "modern-day slavery" and warned that such exploitation is more common than many Americans realize.
The investigation was led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), along with the San Antonio Police Department.
Understanding Human Trafficking Exploitation
What led to the arrest of Yoirlan Tome-Rojas?
Yoirlan Tome-Rojas was arrested after a tip-off to the San Antonio Police in March 2024, which initiated an investigation into his human trafficking activities.
How did Tome-Rojas exploit the women?
Tome-Rojas exploited the women by forcing them to work in adult entertainment clubs to pay off immigration debts. He controlled their earnings and increased their debts with additional charges, making it difficult for them to escape.
Who investigated the case?
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the San Antonio Police Department.