Milwaukee, Wisconsin - United States Attorney Matthew D. Krueger announced that on December 23, 2019, Jose Facio-Santos, a citizen of Mexico illegally in the United States after having been previously removed, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for selling cocaine, heroin, and firearms, and transporting women into Milwaukee for purposes of prostitution. Upon completion of his sentence, he will be removed again to Mexico.
The investigation revealed Facio-Santos sold narcotics on multiple occasions between September 2014 and December 2016, including approximately 166 grams of cocaine and 138 grams of heroin. In addition, in 2017, Facio-Santos sold an AK-47 style rifle and a Norinco Model SKS Rifle to an individual Facio-Santos did not know was working at the direction of law enforcement. On October 26, 2018, a search of Facio-Santo’s house recovered a stolen 9 mm firearm along with a magazine containing approximately 11 rounds of ammunition. When his cell phone was searched, law enforcement found photographs of Facio-Santos posing with at least seven different firearms.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Facio-Santos operated a brothel in Milwaukee. By his own admission, Facio-Santos prostituted 250 women during the years he ran the brothel. Every week, a new woman was brought from out-of-state to be prostituted and was required to perform between 10-15 commercial sex acts per day during her week in Milwaukee. At the end of the week, Facio-Santos would take the woman to a predetermined location where she would be transported to another city. Court documents revealed that the women were extremely vulnerable, as many were undocumented and in dire financial situations.
During the sentencing hearing Federal District Judge Lynn Adelman stated, that a “fairly significant sentence” was “necessary” to account for Facio-Santos having sold heroin, cocaine, and two highly dangerous weapons, as well as his managerial role in prostitution, all while in the United States illegally. The Judge further noted that Facio-Santos preyed upon “vulnerable people,” which was very harmful in so many different ways.
“Facio-Santos is a serious criminal who trafficked in dangerous drugs, lethal weapons, and vulnerable women,” said United States Attorney Krueger. “I commend the law enforcement agencies who conducted the investigation and brought Facio-Santos to justice.”
The following agencies participated in the investigation: Homeland Security Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Karine Moreno-Taxman and Elizabeth Monfils.
