New Mexico Man Sentenced to Over a Decade in Prison for Pimping Out 16-Year-Old Girl in El Paso

Accident – Death – Obituary News : New Mexico Man Sentenced to Over a Decade in Prison for Pimping a Minor

In a shocking case of child exploitation, Alexandre Theodore Banta, a 37-year-old man from Roswell, New Mexico, has been sentenced to 12 years and six months in federal prison for driving a 16-year-old girl to El Paso and acting as her pimp, according to court documents. Banta pleaded guilty to one count of coercion or enticement of a minor on August 28, and his sentence was handed down by Senior U.S. District Judge David C. Guaderrama at the Albert Armendariz Sr. Federal Courthouse in Downtown El Paso.

Banta, who is a registered sex offender, was accused of having sex with the underage girl and then bringing her to El Paso to prostitute her to other men at a motel. The complaint affidavit states that Banta committed these heinous acts while also lining his own pockets. U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Jaime Esparza expressed his appreciation for the vigilance of those who alerted the El Paso Police Department and the partner agencies involved in the investigation. He emphasized that this case serves as a reminder that sexual exploitation can and does occur in communities, and that everyone has a role to play in prevention.

According to the affidavit, the 16-year-old girl met Banta in April 2022 through a friend in Roswell. This friend, a boy whose name has not been disclosed, informed the girl that he wanted her to “hook up” with Banta. The affidavit states that Banta and the girl had sexual intercourse in the back of his vehicle, during which Banta allegedly told the girl that he would be taking her to El Paso. The boy later claimed that the girl expressed a desire to become a prostitute.

It was during this time that the girl informed Banta of her true age, to which he allegedly replied, “I won’t tell, if you don’t tell.” Banta then proceeded to take the girl and the boy from Roswell to El Paso. Court documents and officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office reveal that Banta and the girl engaged in sexual activity in the vehicle while the boy took turns driving. The vehicle eventually broke down in Alamogordo, New Mexico, and Banta’s wife, referred to as “witness 1” or “W1” in court documents, drove from El Paso to tow the vehicle.

The group arrived in El Paso on April 15, 2020, and the girl stayed with Banta and his wife for approximately 10 days. During this time, Banta allegedly had sexual intercourse with the girl on multiple occasions. The affidavit states that Banta asked the girl if she would like to be a prostitute and offered to be her pimp. The next day, Banta allegedly informed the girl that he had found her first customer.

The man, known only as “Sam” to the girl, was a handyman who worked on motel rooms in El Paso. He allegedly paid Banta $60 for two hours of sexual activity with the girl, of which Banta took $30 and gave the remaining $30 to the girl. However, the girl ended up giving her $30 to Banta’s wife. The boy later informed the girl that she was supposed to be Banta’s “sex slave.”

Authorities interviewed “Sam” about the encounter with the girl and Banta. He claimed that he was approached by a mechanic who arranged the deal for him to engage in sexual activity with the girl. In a lineup, the man identified Banta as the mechanic. The man stated that he paid $40 for oral sex with the girl, and he gave the payment to Banta. On April 21, 2020, he picked up the girl in his truck and took her to the motel, where they engaged in oral sex.

While the complaint affidavit only mentions one incident of the girl being prostituted, officials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office state that Banta arranged for the minor to have sex with other individuals in exchange for payment.

Investigators later obtained a Facebook conversation between the girl and Banta’s wife from the day the girl met with “Sam” for sexual activity. The girl expressed fear and asked for help in the conversation. In a Facebook message on April 24, 2020, the girl told Banta’s wife, “I really want to make some money tonight” and “No one has to know but me and u.”

Concerns were raised when a person at the motel witnessed the young girl entering and exiting various motel rooms and overheard a tenant describing a sexual encounter with her. This individual promptly reported the situation to the El Paso Police Department.

A Homeland Security Investigations agent met with Banta and his wife at the motel. Banta’s wife claimed to know the girl through Banta and stated that the girl had told them she was 17 years old. Banta informed the agent that he met the girl in Roswell, and she had told him that she was trying to escape cyberbullying. He claimed that he brought her to El Paso in an attempt to provide her with a better life.

Banta provided a statement to the New Mexico State Police on May 29, 2020, in which he stated that the girl used one of his old cell phones to inform an unknown person that she was a “part-time prostitute.” He claimed that the girl expressed a desire to be a prostitute.

On June 12, 2020, Banta was arrested in Roswell on suspicion of sexual assault of a minor. He was later served with a federal arrest warrant on August 18, 2020, and extradited to El Paso.

Special Agent in Charge Francisco B. Burrola of Homeland Security Investigations El Paso Division expressed his satisfaction with the sentence, stating that child exploitation is one of the most heinous crimes in modern society. He emphasized the importance of partnerships with law enforcement agencies in removing those responsible for victimizing children from communities and ensuring that they are held accountable.

This case serves as a stark reminder that child exploitation can happen anywhere, and it is crucial for individuals to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity involving minors..