LAKE WORTH, Fla. (CBS12) — The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office (PBSO) has made a significant arrest in connection with an ongoing prostitution investigation that has been the subject of CBS12 News I-Team coverage for the past two years. Authorities arrested a key figure in an illegal sex trafficking ring using undocumented migrant women.
The woman, known by the alias “Brenda” among workers and clients, has now been identified as Vanessa Jamarillo De Armas. Sources revealed that De Armas ran several brothel houses with a strict and dangerous hierarchy, employing armed bodyguards to enforce rules and ensure control.
PBSO deputies and detectives responded to a house on Bertha Street in Lake Worth on Friday night after reports of shots fired. This is not the first time gun violence has been linked to these properties, with previous shootings and even fatalities at the brothels. Inside, authorities detained several men and women, including De Armas.
Court records confirm that De Armas was identified as the manager of multiple brothels, where she allegedly facilitated the exploitation of migrant women, some working 20 or more men a day. The investigation also revealed ties to Honduras, further complicating the scope of the criminal network.
The I-Team has been working closely with law enforcement to expose this operation and narrow in on its leaders. De Armas now faces multiple charges, with her arrest marking a major breakthrough in the case. More developments are expected as the investigation continues.
