A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has indicted Jorge Luis Tejera, a 40-year-old Venezuelan national, on charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. Authorities allege that Tejera, who was residing illegally in the United States and living in Chicago before his arrest, threatened a commercial sex worker before transporting the individual to Utah for further sex work under threat of force.
Tejera was first charged by complaint on December 19, 2025. According to court documents, Homeland Security Agents began investigating a transnational criminal organization called “Desastre” in November 2024 for its suspected role in human trafficking. Investigators say members of Desastre forced vulnerable people into commercial sex work for financial gain. Tejera is alleged to have played a principal role in this operation and to have coerced other Venezuelan nationals into commercial sex work to pay off debts related to their transportation and smuggling into the U.S.
Authorities report that numerous victims were identified during the investigation. In one case, a victim trafficked by Tejera allegedly had their young child taken from them as leverage and received threats directed at both themselves and their child if they did not comply with demands for commercial sex work.
Investigators also claim that Tejera and others involved—primarily men living illegally in the U.S.—often possessed firearms which they would display as intimidation. Federal law prohibits illegal aliens from possessing firearms or ammunition. Additional individuals connected with this operation are accused of threatening witnesses and victims involved in another case (2:25-cr-00141).
Tejera’s initial court appearance on the indictment is set for February 5, 2026 at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in Salt Lake City.
United States Attorney Melissa Holyoak of the District of Utah announced the indictment. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations unit is handling the investigation, while Assistant United States Attorney Sam Pead is prosecuting.
The case falls under Operation Take Back America—a nationwide initiative designed to combat illegal immigration and dismantle cartels and transnational criminal organizations through coordination between various Justice Department programs such as OCDETF and Project Safe Neighborhoods.
“An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.”
