Marco Antonio Flores-Benitez, 38, was sentenced Tuesday to 15-years in prison after becoming the first person in Kentucky to be federally convicted of sex trafficking.
His co-defendant, Roxana Serna-Olea, 36, was sentenced to 46-months in prison for persuading someone to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.
According to court documents, beginning in December 2006, Flores-Benitez and Serna-Olea operated a prostitution delivery service for customers in Lexington and Louisville areas.
Prosecutors said the two also operated a brothel at Cross Keys Drive in Lexington that was managed by another co-defendant.
Prosecutors said as part of the conspiracy, some defendants recruited Spanish-speaking women from North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Maryland to travel to Kentucky to engage in prostitution under the direction of Flores-Benitez.
Prosecutors said some of the defendants drove and delivered the prostitutes to customers in Fayette, Woodford, Oldham and Jefferson Counties in Kentucky.
Serna-Olea and Flores-Benitez pleaded guilty to their respective charges in July. Both will have to serve at least 85-percent of their sentences.
Adrian Lezama-Ruiz, 26, and Roberto Salinas-Rivera, 35, previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to persuade someone to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.
Both entered guilty pleas to an aiding and abetting charge. Both defendants are still awaiting sentence.
