NJ Man Sentenced 60 Years for Leading Human Trafficking and Prostitution Ring

Paulino Macolas-Aguirre exploited hundreds of women and a minor in a commercial sex operation across Mercer and Monmouth counties, court records show.

A Trenton man has been sentenced to 60 years in state prison, including 20 years of parole ineligibility, for operating a widespread prostitution and human trafficking enterprise that involved hundreds of women and a minor, the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office announced on January 23, 2026.

Paulino “Pablo” Macolas-Aguirre, 46, was convicted by a Mercer County jury on August 21, 2025, of multiple charges including conspiracy, racketeering, human trafficking, promoting prostitution, endangering the welfare of a child, and financial facilitation of criminal activity. The sentence was imposed Tuesday by Superior Court Judge Robert E. Lytle.

“Human trafficking women into a life of sexual servitude is an affront to all decent people,” said Acting Attorney General Davenport. “It is a dehumanizing crime that cannot be tolerated. This office will continue to prioritize the prosecution of anyone engaged in this illegal activity. The leader of this human trafficking ring has learned the price of his criminal conduct.”

Macolas-Aguirre led a well-organized criminal enterprise that operated four houses of prostitution—two in Trenton and two in Asbury Park—as well as an “outcall” service that delivered women to customers across Mercer County. Evidence presented at trial revealed that Macolas-Aguirre supervised all aspects of the operation: recruiting women, including a minor, renting the houses, scheduling workers, handling payments, and marketing the enterprise with business cards.

Ledgers seized during search warrants in 2021 and 2022 showed women engaging in sex acts with as many as 30 to 41 men per day. One of the Trenton houses, located on Hudson Street, served as a major hub and was fortified with locks, barriers, and a surveillance system. After an initial police raid on the property in January 2022, Macolas-Aguirre resumed operations at the same location just days later.

Customers paid for sex using poker chips, entitling them to 15-minute sessions with women they selected on-site. Police also discovered that women were being shuttled between houses to meet customer demand. A search of Macolas-Aguirre’s personal residence on May 11, 2022, uncovered over $44,000 in cash along with his passport—further evidence tying him to the criminal proceeds.

“This defendant recruited women, including a minor, to perform sexual acts for money,” said DCJ Director Theresa L. Hilton. “He called the shots as the leader of this well-organized human trafficking operation and has now been sentenced to an appropriate penalty for his crimes. The outstanding work of the investigators and prosecutors in this case put an end to a significant sex trafficking ring.”

In addition to Macolas-Aguirre, several co-conspirators have pleaded guilty to related charges, including Edy Villeda-Estrada, Daniel Camara Bonito, Efran Melo Castillo, Lauren Macolas Aguirre, Jose Camara Perico, and Daniela Camara Perico.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Heather Hausleben and Assistant Attorney General Erik Daab, with support from Trial Analyst Nathalie Kurzawa and the Division of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit. The investigation was led by the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons and Human Trafficking Unit, in collaboration with the Trenton Police Department and Asbury Park Police Department.

“Human trafficking is a brutal crime that exploits vulnerability, strips individuals of their freedom, and leaves lasting trauma,” said Lieutenant Colonel David Sierotowicz, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police (NJSP). “For victims, the road ahead is often long and difficult, and we will remain relentless in investigating these crimes, which too often hide in plain sight, and holding traffickers accountable.”

Authorities encourage anyone who suspects sex- or labor-related human trafficking to report it confidentially by calling the 24-hour NJ Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-855-END-NJ-HT. Reports of child exploitation or inappropriate contact by individuals communicating online with minors can be made to the New Jersey Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force at 888-648-6007.