Romeo Trafficking & Interstate Corridor Analysis
Romeo Trafficking & Interstate Corridor Analysis
OPUS INVESTIGATION: Romeo Trafficking & Interstate Corridor Analysis
Investigation Date: January 13, 2026
Classification: PUBLIC INTELLIGENCE
Investigator: OPUS (Project Milk Carton)
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This investigation examined "Romeo pimp" trafficking tactics, their connection to major interstate trafficking corridors (I-10, I-35, I-95, I-5), and cross-referenced convicted cases with PMC's missing children database of 1,905 records and child crimes database of 3,900+ trafficking incidents.
KEY FINDINGS:
- 3,900+ documented child trafficking victims in PMC database
- Texas leads nation with 561 trafficking victims (256 incidents), followed by Georgia (455 victims), California (379 victims)
- Direct correlation between foster care/runaway children and trafficking victim recruitment
- Major prosecutions in 2024-2025 reveal gang-affiliated Romeo pimp operations in Virginia (MS-13, Imperial Gangster Bloods), Los Angeles (Hoover Criminal Gang), and Houston (independent traffickers)
- 207 missing teens (ages 13-17) in California alone, including 30+ in Los Angeles County - directly within Hoover Gang's Figueroa Corridor operation zone
WHAT IS "ROMEO TRAFFICKING"?
Definition: A trafficking method where predators (called "Romeo Pimps" or "Loverboy Pimps") use psychological manipulation and fake romantic relationships to recruit and control victims.
Recruitment Tactics:
- Target Selection: Vulnerable youth - runaways, foster children, LGBTQ+ youth, abuse survivors
- Initial Contact: Social media (Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, Discord), schools, malls, bus stations
- Grooming Phase: Shower victims with attention, gifts, promises of love and protection
- Isolation: Remove from family/friends, take phones, move to new locations
- Exploitation: Gradual introduction to commercial sex work
- Control: Psychological manipulation, withholding affection/drugs/food, threats, violence
Red Flags (from DOJ prosecutions):
- Older "boyfriend" with expensive lifestyle
- Sudden change in behavior, dress, or associates
- Unexplained gifts, phones, or money
- Truancy but carrying school ID (for free transit)
- New tattoos (especially names/monikers - "branding")
- Hotel receipts, multiple phones
TRAFFICKING CORRIDORS - PMC DATABASE ANALYSIS
Interstate Trafficking Routes
| Corridor | States | Risk Level | PMC Trafficking Victims | Missing Teens (13-17) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-10 Southern Border | TX, NM, AZ, CA | CRITICAL | 1,090+ | 304 |
| I-95 East Coast | FL, GA, SC, NC, VA, MD, PA, NJ, NY | CRITICAL | 730+ | 347 |
| I-35 NAFTA Highway | TX, OK, KS, MO, IA, MN | CRITICAL | 700+ | 140+ |
| I-5 West Coast | CA, OR, WA | HIGH | 484 | 243 |
Trafficking Victims by State (Top 10)
| State | Trafficking Incidents | Total Victims | Avg Victim Age | Female Victims | Under 14 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 256 | 561 | 14.2 | 424 (76%) | 149 (27%) |
| Georgia | 206 | 455 | 12.8 | 277 (61%) | 174 (38%) |
| California | 149 | 379 | 15.4 | 353 (93%) | 66 (17%) |
| Nevada | 125 | 269 | 15.5 | 247 (92%) | 26 (10%) |
| Tennessee | 75 | 179 | 13.8 | 161 (90%) | 71 (40%) |
| Minnesota | 61 | 137 | 8.7 | 89 (65%) | 73 (53%) |
| Arizona | 61 | 141 | 13.6 | 103 (73%) | 43 (30%) |
| Wisconsin | 60 | 144 | 15.0 | 108 (75%) | 37 (26%) |
| Colorado | 51 | 109 | 13.4 | 93 (85%) | 34 (31%) |
| Indiana | 43 | 107 | 14.3 | 73 (68%) | 27 (25%) |
Critical Finding: Georgia has the youngest average victim age (12.8 years) and highest percentage of victims under 14 (38%).
PROSECUTED ROMEO TRAFFICKING CASES (2024-2025)
CASE 1: Pierre De Romeo Smith (Virginia - I-95 Corridor)
Defendant: Pierre De Romeo Smith, 40, Portsmouth, VA
Gang Affiliation: Imperial Gangster Bloods (leader)
Sentence: 32 years federal prison (June 2024)
Victim Details:
- 16-year-old female
- Met victim April 30, 2022
- Trafficked for 3 weeks with up to 30 "dates" per night
- Locations: Hampton Roads area (Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Portsmouth)
Methods:
- Posted sexually explicit photos on commercial sex website same day they met
- Provided amphetamines to keep victim awake
- Confiscated all earnings
- After arrest, issued "green light" (kill order) on victim to prevent testimony
Investigative Assets:
- Hampton Roads Human Trafficking Task Force
- HSI Norfolk
Source: DHS Press Release
CASE 2: MS-13 Gang (Virginia - I-95 Corridor)
Defendants: 7 MS-13 members and associates
Conviction: February 2024 (4th Circuit upheld)
Case: United States v. Zelaya-Veliz
Victim Details:
- 13-year-old female runaway
- Ran away from youth home in Northern Virginia (August 2018)
Methods (Classic Romeo Tactics):
- Told victim they would "be her family and protect her"
- Gang initiation: Beat victim 26 times with baseball bat
- Trafficked in Virginia AND Maryland
- Victims lined up in "wooded area behind apartments"
- Harbored in various apartments in Northern Virginia
- Payment: Cash and drugs
Duration: Nearly 2 months before rescue by FBI Child Exploitation Task Force
Source: DOJ Press Release
CASE 3: Hoover Criminal Gang (Los Angeles - I-10/I-5 Corridor)
Defendants: 11 members charged (August 2025)
Lead Defendant: Amaya Armstead, 25 ("Lady Duck") - de facto leader of 112 set
Indictment: 31 counts federal RICO
Operation Details:
- Controlled 3.5-mile stretch of Figueroa Street (Slauson to Century Blvd)
- Operation period: February 2021 - August 2025
- First major federal takedown of Figueroa Corridor trafficking
Defendants List:
| Name | Age | Alias | Location |
|------|-----|-------|----------|
| Amaya Armstead | 25 | "Lady Duck" | South LA |
| Kenyondre Young | 22 | "Yunkg Poke" | - |
| Naziz Harris | 19 | "N4" | - |
| Avery Amoako | 27 | "Handz" | Long Beach |
| Jared Evans | 29 | "Jmoney" | Mid-City LA |
| Mathew Brooks | 22 | "Vermont Star" | Riverside |
| Derail Robinson | 22 | "Popkorn" | - |
| Jalon Phillips | 22 | "Chop Em" | - |
| Bryan Isrel | 31 | "4Loc" | AT LARGE |
| Tejohn Gray | 25 | "Tiny3" | - |
| Tommy Crockham | 30 | "Tommy Gunz" | - |
Victim Recruitment:
- Targeted runaways and foster care children
- Social media recruitment
- False promises of "luxurious lifestyle"
- Intimidation and actual/threatened violence
Control Methods:
- Victims branded with tattoos of defendant's moniker
- Provided controlled substances (oxycodone, amphetamines)
- Withheld affection, drugs, or food as punishment
- Required to remit ALL earnings to pimp
- Pooled motel rooms for commercial sex dates
- Published assault videos on social media to intimidate victims
Specific Incident:
- April 2024: Armstead trafficked 14-year-old at Stadium Inn motel for at least 3 consecutive days
Source: DOJ Central District California
CASE 4: Kristopher McDonald (Indianapolis - I-70/I-65 Corridor)
Defendant: Kristopher McDonald, 37, Indianapolis
Sentence: 3 LIFE sentences (May 2025)
Charges:
- Murder in aid of racketeering
- Sex trafficking by force
- Possession of firearm by felon
- Brandishing/discharging firearm during crime of violence
Operation: June 2023 - April 2024
Scope: Indianapolis and other states (interstate operation)
Source: DOJ Southern District Indiana
CASE 5: Houston/Montgomery County Operations (I-10/I-45 Corridor)
A. Angela Diaz Case
- Victim: Angela Marisol Diaz, 22
- Missing: June 30, 2024
- Status: FOUND DECEASED (remains discovered March 2025 near Johnson Space Center)
- Suspect: Krystephor Karvon Brown, 31 (AT LARGE as of Jan 2026)
- Evidence: HPD Human Trafficking Unit found sex ad for victim; messages showing Brown selling her since March 2024
B. Montgomery County Child Trafficking Ring
- Suspect: Shiann Hutchins, 28, Houston
- Charges: Trafficking of a Child (felony)
- Victims: 16-year-old juvenile + 18-year-old female (both reported missing)
- Method: Sting operation at Montgomery County hotel after sex-for-money solicitation
Source: Click2Houston
MISSING CHILDREN IN TRAFFICKING CORRIDORS
Los Angeles County (Hoover Gang Territory) - 30 Missing Teens
| Name | Age | Missing Date | City | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cameron Edwards | 17 | 9/6/2022 | Van Nuys | MISSING |
| Lilybeth Salgado-Sotelo | 16 | 9/5/2023 | Lancaster | MISSING |
| Aiyana Alcerro-Ramirez | 15 | 9/10/2014 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| Shizhe Wang | 15 | 7/14/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| Joeseph Renteria | 15 | 6/28/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| Hailey Aguilera | 15 | 6/21/2024 | Mission Hills | MISSING |
| Jose Alvarado | 17 | 5/18/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| Dilara Aruaz | 17 | 4/9/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| David Tzep Tulul | 17 | 4/30/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
| Jenny Aviles Gonzalez | 16 | 2/24/2024 | Los Angeles | MISSING |
Texas Corridor Cities - 20 Missing Teens
| Name | Age | Missing Date | City | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Martha Quintero | 16 | 1/9/2025 | Houston | Harris |
| Danielle Frazier | 15 | 8/9/2024 | Houston | Harris |
| Jacob Barajas | 14 | 8/1/2024 | Harlingen | Cameron |
| Brianna Bowman | 16 | 7/2/2024 | Elgin | Bastrop |
| Justice Williams | 15 | 5/15/2024 | Midland | Midland |
| Laila Hamilton-William | 16 | 4/4/2024 | Pflugerville | Travis |
| Destanie Banta | 17 | 2/9/2024 | Conroe | Montgomery |
| Delonte Taylor | 14 | 8/25/2023 | Houston | Harris |
| Benito Torres | 15 | 7/30/2023 | Dallas | Dallas |
| Nelvy Ramirez | 16 | 7/7/2023 | Houston | Harris |
FOSTER CARE TO TRAFFICKING PIPELINE
Statistics:
- 60% of child sex trafficking victims are current/former foster care children (National Foster Youth Institute)
- 79,000 youth in Texas have been victims of sex trafficking (UT Austin study)
- 4.5% of Texas foster youth on runaway status reported trafficking while away from care
How Traffickers Target Foster Children:
- Group homes described as "breeding ground for recruitment"
- Foster youth feel "starved for sense of family"
- Pimps give attention and gifts during grooming phase
- Social workers often fail to screen returned runaways (65% failure rate per OIG)
Case Example - T Ortiz (California):
- 10-year-old foster child
- Rode public bus alone in San Francisco Bay Area
- Befriended by 25-year-old barber
- Trafficked on street and posted online
SOCIAL MEDIA RECRUITMENT PLATFORMS
Per National Human Trafficking Hotline:
- Facebook - 125% increase in recruitment reports (2020)
- Instagram - 95% increase in recruitment reports (2020)
- Snapchat - Disappearing messages hide evidence
- TikTok - Video format used for fake job offers
- Discord - Gaming chat rooms target minors
- Dating Apps - Tinder, Grindr, Plenty of Fish
Recruitment Method Pattern:
- Browse profiles for vulnerable targets (posts about family problems, loneliness)
- Reach out via DM with compliments
- Ask probing questions about family, support system
- Prey on girls who "hate school, hate family, are alone most of the day"
- One pimp contacted 118 different women over 8 months via Facebook
INTELLIGENCE GAPS & RECOMMENDATIONS
For Law Enforcement:
- Cross-reference missing children with commercial sex ads in same geographic area
- Focus on I-35 corridor - 40% of Texas strip clubs located there
- Target hotels/motels near interstate exits (Stadium Inn, etc.)
- Monitor social media for grooming patterns
- Coordinate multi-state operations (victims move across jurisdictions)
For Child Welfare:
- Screen ALL returned runaways for trafficking (currently 65% failure rate)
- Reduce group home placements - high recruitment risk
- Train foster parents on Romeo pimp warning signs
- Track "overnight" absences - traffickers keep victims in school to avoid suspicion
For Communities:
- Educate teens on Romeo pimp tactics
- Report suspicious activity to National Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-888-373-7888
- Watch for branding tattoos - names/monikers on neck, face, hands
- Know your corridors - I-10, I-35, I-95 are highest risk
SOURCES
Databases Queried
- [PMC Missing Children Database] 1,905 records - queried 2026-01-13
- [PMC Child Crimes Database] 3,900+ trafficking incidents - queried 2026-01-13
- [NCMEC Poster Database] Missing children links - queried 2026-01-13
DOJ Press Releases
- Pierre De Romeo Smith Sentencing
- MS-13 Sex Trafficking Conviction
- Hoover Criminal Gang Indictment
- Kristopher McDonald Life Sentences
Research & Statistics
- Texas Human Trafficking Task Force Report 2024
- BJS Human Trafficking Data Collection 2024
- Polaris - Romeo Pimping Basics
- ACF Foster Care Trafficking Guidance
News Sources
- FOX LA - Hoover Gang Trafficking
- WTVR - Pierre Smith Case
- Click2Houston - Angela Diaz Case
- Texas Standard - I-35 Corridor
OSINT Tools Used
- [KALI:sherlock] Username search
- [KALI:waybackurls] Archive URL discovery
- [WEB_SEARCH] Multiple queries across DOJ, news, research sources
Report Generated: 2026-01-13
Classification: PUBLIC
Distribution: Unlimited
OPUS | Project Milk Carton | Autonomous Research Intelligence
For the protection of children everywhere
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.
501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Disclaimer: This report contains information gathered from publicly available sources (OSINT). All findings should be independently verified. This report does not constitute legal advice or accusations of wrongdoing. Project Milk Carton is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to child welfare transparency.