Texas Mother Outraged: A Known Child Trafficker Walks Free: She Blames Dallas DA

In January, politicians highlight Human Trafficking Awareness Month. Meanwhile, an outraged Texas mother is fighting tooth, nail, and claw to raise awareness about the state's justice system's failure to help victims, like her daughter.

January is Human Trafficking Awareness MonthPhoto byDrexel University

In April 2022, according to Texas Scorecard, the woman's daughter made headlines when she was sexually assaulted and forced into prostitution after going missing from a Dallas Mavericks game. Though she's now safe, her parents are frustrated that the suspect linked to the trafficking was not prosecuted by elected Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot.

“As a mom and as a woman, this is a hill I’m willing to die on,” the victim’s mother told Texas Scorecard.

In the aftermath of her daughter's traumatic experience, the mother described the following months as an unpredictable journey. In other words, her life has bounced up and down. She holds Dallas police and the DA office of Creuzot, as well as perceived deficiencies within state law, responsible for the release of the man whom her daughter accuses of perpetrating the crime against her innocence.

The Crime

The victim from North Richland Hills went missing during a basketball game at the American Airlines Center. Her father reported her disappearance after she failed to return from the bathroom. Surveillance footage revealed that she left with Emanuel Jose Cartagena. Ten days later, she was located in Oklahoma City through the efforts of a private investigator recommended by friends.

Teen Sex Trafficker Emmanuel Jose Cartagena(left), Dallas District Attorney John Creuzot(right)Photo byTexas Score

Online photos advertising her for sex led to the arrest of three suspects on charges of human trafficking, conspiracy, and computer crimes. Although several players involved in the sex trafficking ring were charged in Oklahoma, Cartagena and other men from the surveillance video were not found at the scene.

Then in January 2023, Cartagena was arrested and charged in Dallas with sexual assault of a child.

The helpless victim told police Cartagena had sexually assaulted her in Dallas before she was carted off to Oklahoma.

On October 30, 2023, a Dallas County grand jury no-billed Cartagena, in that case. A no-bill in Texas meant the grand jurors didn't find convincing evidence to prosecute the child rapist for the crime.

“I was astounded,” said the mom, during an interview with Texas Score Card News.

(Here is An Interactive Map that tracks Smuggling Worldwide: Global Display of Human Trafficking Incidents and News (globalincidentmap.com)

Holding The Criminal Justice System Accountable

The trafficking victim’s mom listed several errors by Dallas police. She said the police refused to allow her husband to file a missing person report, classifying older missing teens as "runaways" despite her daughter being a minor. Police directed the family to file a report with local police 40 miles away, far from where their daughter vanished.

“That’s an enormous problem,” she said.

Suspect Took 15-year-old Teenager From American Airline Center During A Dallas Maverick Game.Photo byAmerican Airline Center (No Copyright)

The Private Investigator hit paydirt when he quickly found the woman's missing daughter through online ads, while Dallas PD didn't raise a finger to help. Dallas officials even declined assistance from Oklahoma authorities. The victim's mom offered more documentation to the prosecutor before the grand jury hearing, but the prosecutor refused, saying they would subpoena the information if needed.

She also said her daughter, who was too young to consent to sex, picked Cartagena out of a lineup as the man who raped her. Yet the grand jury still sided with Cartagena, and he went free, the Score Card reported.

“At the end of the day, take out all the trafficking stuff, how does that happen?” she asked.

After the grand jury no-billed Cartagena, she said Creuzot told her that prosecutors had followed “office policy” by not recommending an indictment and he would not re-present the case with the additional evidence.

A Dallas Morning News opinion piece published this month says Cartagena has a history of promoting and compelling prostitution of minors and cites two Harris County cases in 2015 and 2016.

Prior bad acts are generally inadmissible as evidence, but the victim’s mom says Creuzot knew or should have known, that Cartagena has a history of sexually exploiting children and recommended an indictment.

“The guy who did this had done it before and will probably do it again,” she said.

“I’m not done fighting,” she added. “I can’t let this go.”

What Lies Ahead?

According to the mother of the victim, divine intervention played a significant role in ensuring the safety of her daughter. She expressed gratitude for the fortunate outcome, highlighting that her own family's experience is not representative of the norm.

The mother's concerns extended to the broader issue of victims affected by sex trafficking, particularly in Texas. In her statement, she noted that Texas holds the distinction of being ranked second in the nation for despicably trafficking underage teens, with Dallas and Houston notoriously known as prominent hotspots for such activities.

“It’s not just due to the state’s size,” she said. “It’s our laws and loopholes that go in the criminals’ favor.”

A 2016 study found that 79,000 minors were victims of sex trafficking in Texas. Child sex trafficking has continued to grow as traffickers use the internet to exploit children to sell them into prostitution.

The victim’s mom told the Texas Score Card reporter that police and district attorneys have no real accountability because they’re immune from prosecution unless they knowingly do something illegal. “This is a case of them not doing something,” she said.

She wants Texas lawmakers to do more than raise awareness about human trafficking. She wants changes in state law that require action and accountability from local prosecutors and allow the state to step in as needed to protect children from sexual exploitation.

“Texas is a leader,” she said. “If Texas does it, other states will follow suit.

“It’s not just about my daughter,” she added. “This is about my niece, my friends’ daughters … What about those other girls in Dallas who don’t have a voice? That’s what I’m fighting for now.”

Contributing Reporter Clarence Walker can be reached at HoustonNewsToday@yahoo.com