John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HIRAN SANCHEZ, also known as “Ivan” and “Pablo,” 22, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for the sex trafficking of two minors. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sanchez recruited two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts.  Sanchez trafficked the first victim, who was 15 at the time, in the summer of 2016, and the second victim, who was 16, in April and May 2017.  After Sanchez advertised the victims’ prostitution services on Backpage.com, he transported the victims to Hartford-area hotels to meet with clients who paid them for sex.  The victims provided all of the money they were paid to Sanchez.

Judge Thompson ordered Sanchez to pay $3,750 in restitution to his first victim, and $3,900 in restitution to his second victim.

Sanchez has been detained since his arrest on January 22, 2018.  On January 29, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.

This matter was investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, and with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Nancy V. Gifford.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HIRAN SANCHEZ, also known as “Ivan” and “Pablo,” 21, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to one count of sex trafficking of a minor.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sanchez recruited two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts.  Sanchez trafficked the first victim, who was 15 at the time, in the summer of 2016, and the second victim, who was 16, in April and May 2017.  After Sanchez advertised the victims’ prostitution services on Backpage.com, he transported the victims to Hartford-area hotels to meet with clients who paid them for sex.  The victims provided all of the money they earned to Sanchez.

Sanchez has been detained since his arrest on January 22, 2018.

The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  Sanchez is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson on May 8, 2019.

This matter has been investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, and with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Nancy V. Gifford.

January 2019 is National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a grand jury in Hartford has returned an indictment charging HIRAN SANCHEZ, also known as “Ivan” and “Pablo,” 20, of Hartford, with one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and two counts of sex trafficking of a minor.

The indictment was returned on November 15, 2017, and SANCHEZ was arrested on January 22, 2018.  He entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and is detained pending trial.

As alleged in the indictment, SANCHEZ recruited, harbored and transported two minor victims to engage in commercial acts.  SANCHEZ trafficked the first victim in July 2016 and the second victim in April and May 2017.

The charge of sex trafficking of a minor carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Connecticut State Police and Hartford Police Department, through the Connecticut Human Trafficking Task Force, and with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Nancy V. Gifford.