Raleigh Police Bust Another Alleged Brothel

Police raided the house at 6 Pantops St. on Tuesday.Seven people face charges related to prostitution in the incident. They include Jorge Cerro, Carlos Nunez Mendoza, Claudia Catano, Miriam Guido, Nely Perez, Juan Herrara, and Jorge Justo. One of the suspects is a 19-year-old man.

"The youngest one was more of a lookout from the information we got. He was outside looking to see who was coming and going. The oldest ones were the ones running the show," said Lt. Kent Sholer of the Raleigh Police Department.

Many residents are glad that police came to raid the alleged brothel.

"Every five minutes, they were rolling back and forth, back and forth [with] little trucks, big trucks, warehouse trucks," neighbor Joanne Williams said. "I'm glad they nipped it in the bud by the time I got there."

Police said the people running the reputed prostitution operation put up partitions to make more room in the house.

This house is the fourth alleged brothel police have raided in Raleigh since January.

Leaders in the Latino community said brothels are not unique to the Hispanic community. They said the brothels are preying on Hispanic men who come to the Triangle to find jobs.

Most of the men are single, in their 20s and have been away from their families for months, and sometimes years. That is when loneliness sets in.

"They feel isolated. They have no places to go and they become victims of these individuals who are promoting prostitution," said Manuel Gil of Culturas Unidas.

Gil said that part of the problem is that there are not enough recreation facilities, like soccer fields, for Hispanics.