Estefania Primera, also known as “La Barbie,” pleaded guilty on Thursday, June 4 to a charge of trafficking of a person and was sentenced to two years in state prison in connection with a case involving the sexual exploitation of a woman at an El Paso hotel.
Primera entered her guilty plea in the 409th District Court on June 4. The judge sentenced Primera to two years’ confinement and awarded her 616 days of jail credit for time already served while awaiting resolution of the case.
Primera was arrested in 2024, following an investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division. She had originally been charged with human trafficking, a second-degree felony, after authorities alleged she forced a woman to engage in prostitution without her consent. She had also been linked to the Venezuelan prison gang Tren de Aragua.
According to court records and a DPS complaint affidavit, investigators began examining the case after receiving information from the U.S. Border Patrol regarding a woman detained at the El Paso Service Processing Center. The woman authorities told she had been staying at an El Paso hotel and was approached by Primera with an offer to make money through prostitution.
The victim told investigators she refused the proposal but alleged that Primera forced her to consume pills believed to be fentanyl, causing her to lose consciousness. The woman said that on multiple occasions she drifted in and out of consciousness and observed men engaging in sexual acts with her without her consent.
Investigators alleged the victim suffered injuries during the encounters and was denied medical attention when she informed Primera about her condition. The woman also reported witnessing men pay Primera for sexual acts she was forced to perform, while she herself received none of the proceeds.
DPS investigators later located online advertisements offering sexual services featuring the victim and another woman. One advertisement reportedly listed the address of the El Paso hotel where the alleged trafficking occurred.
The victim eventually escaped the hotel and sought help from a U.S. Border Patrol agent, leading the investigation that resulted in Primera’s arrest and prosecution.
“Human trafficking is a serious offense that poses a real danger to vulnerable victims and to the safety of our community,” said District Attorney James Montoya. “In resolving this case, our Office weighed that danger as well as the unique challenges prosecutors face when victims or witnesses are non-citizens and may not be available or willing to testify. This outcome reflects our commitment to pursuing justice in a way that is both responsible and realistic.”
Primera faces immigration removal proceedings when she completes her sentence, according to Montoya’s Office.
