Honduran Teen Charged with Child Trafficking in Providence

A depiction of the serious nature of legal cases involving minors and trafficking allegations.

News Summary

Vivian Gisselle Soriano-Neto, an 18-year-old from Honduras, faces charges of child trafficking following her arrest in Providence. After a young girl alleged she was sexually assaulted by men Soriano-Neto brought to a house, immigration officials detained her. Despite efforts for asylum and a lack of court hearings to address her legal status, community safety concerns lead ICE to maintain her detention. This case highlights issues within the immigration process, especially regarding minors and serious allegations.

Providence, Rhode Island

A Honduran teenager, Vivian Gisselle Soriano-Neto, has been charged with child trafficking and faces potential deportation after being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Providence. The 18-year-old had been a student at Mount Pleasant High School and has been held in custody since March 11.

Soriano-Neto was arrested by Providence police on February 20 after accusations emerged linking her to the alleged trafficking of a child. According to reports, a young girl claimed she was sexually assaulted by four men after being brought to a house by Soriano-Neto. This girl reportedly met Soriano-Neto earlier and was instructed to collect money from the men when Soriano-Neto allegedly left her alone, resulting in the alleged assault.

Since her arrest, Soriano-Neto has remained in ICE custody in Maine, with no court hearing scheduled in Providence County District Court to address her legal status or the charges against her. Her criminal defense attorney, John MacDonald, argues that the case against her lacks merit and is based on weak evidence, including vague and inconsistent statements from the victim.

ICE has asserted that Soriano-Neto “apparently trafficked a child for nefarious reasons,” highlighting safety concerns for the community as a significant factor in maintaining her detention. Furthermore, another individual, Saul Adalid Izaguirre Pavon, was arrested on March 22 in connection with the case, although details about his involvement have not been disclosed.

While Soriano-Neto entered the U.S. illegally as a child, she was pursuing a path to legal status and had been released on parole after her first encounter with ICE in October 2017. Immigration attorney Cindy Salazar Tohme is currently seeking asylum for Soriano-Neto and has an approved Special Immigrant Juvenile petition. However, Soriano-Neto still awaits a visa number to proceed further.

In light of these developments, attorneys involved in the case are calling attention to what they perceive as serious flaws in the immigration process. Salazar Tohme has criticized the current system for not providing adequate rights to individuals like Soriano-Neto, particularly in light of the accusations she faces.

The factual basis for the accusations stems from law enforcement reports, which indicate that the allegations were made by the young girl whom Soriano-Neto allegedly trafficked. The police report suggests that the account provided by the girl, whose name has been redacted for privacy reasons, contained inconsistencies, raising further questions about the credibility of the claims against Soriano-Neto.

As the case evolves, the Rhode Island U.S. Attorney’s Office continues to manage multiple immigration-related cases, emphasizing the complexities involved in balancing community safety with the rights of individuals facing potentially grave consequences, such as deportation.

This incident highlights the challenges of navigating immigration laws while addressing serious criminal allegations, particularly when minors are involved, leading to broader discussions about policy reform and the treatment of individuals within the immigration system.