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A 27-year-old man from Gujarat has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison in the United States for his involvement in a sex trafficking case uncovered at a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, where he was employed. The convicted man, Kavankumar Patel, admitted during court proceedings that he stole money from the hotel's cash register and used it to pay traffickers for sexual access to a minor being exploited through a trafficking operation.

Theft Investigation Uncovered Larger Crime

The case began on January 6, 2025, when police in Omaha responded to a complaint regarding theft at the AmericInn hotel. During the course of the investigation, authorities uncovered evidence pointing to an organised sex trafficking network operating from the property, as per reports.

Federal prosecutors said the inquiry exposed the exploitation of victims who had allegedly been trafficked and forced into commercial sex acts. Investigators later determined that hotel employees were involved in facilitating and participating in the abuse.

Officers from the Homeland Security Task Force and the Omaha Police Department rescued two girls, aged 15 and 16, who had been transported from another state by traffickers and were being sold for sex.

Hotel Staff Accused of Exploitation

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Nebraska, victims told investigators that traffickers pressured them to engage in sexual acts with hotel employees in exchange for reduced room rates or face eviction from the property.

Authorities alleged that three hotel employees were implicated. Patel and another employee reportedly paid traffickers for access to one of the victims, while a third employee was accused of assaulting another victim without payment.

Investigators further alleged that the employees allowed the traffickers and victims to remain at the hotel for several days after becoming aware of the exploitation.

Court records also indicate that traffickers advertised the victims online and arranged commercial sex encounters. Victims described being deprived of food and coerced into compliance as part of the trafficking operation.

Deportation Proceedings Likely After Sentence

Patel, who was found to be residing in the United States illegally, is expected to face deportation proceedings after completing his prison term.

Authorities have also charged alleged traffickers Eduardo Jose Perdomo, Michel Martinez-Gonzalez and Alfredo Zambrano-Hurtado in connection with the case. Two Indian-origin hotel employees, Sumit Chaudhari and Vishal Goswami, have also been charged as part of the broader investigation.

Condemning the crimes, United States Attorney Lesley Woods praised the efforts of investigators involved in dismantling the trafficking operation.

“The Homeland Security Task Force rescued these children from a living nightmare.”

The case highlights the continuing efforts of federal and local law enforcement agencies to combat human trafficking networks and prosecute individuals accused of exploiting vulnerable victims.