María Ofelia Ortiz Gil Charged With Human Trafficking for Luring Women to Forced Labor in Villavicencio

The Fiscalía General de la Nación has charged María Ofelia Ortiz Gil with human trafficking after allegedly luring four women from Medellín to Villavicencio (Meta) under false employment offers, according to multiple source articles. The victims, some of whom were adolescents, were reportedly held in a bar and forced to engage in sexual activities between April 27 and May 8, 2024, the sources state. The suspect, who was identified by the Fiscalía as “Ivonne” during the investigation, allegedly received the victims upon their arrival and demanded they perform sexual activities, according to Source 4. The victims had initially accepted a job offer as waitresses in Antioquia, but upon reaching Villavicencio, they were taken to a commercial establishment owned by Ortiz Gil, where they were subjected to surveillance via cameras and required to stay until the last client left, as detailed in Source 3.

According to the Fiscalía, the women were initially promised jobs as waitresses in Villavicencio but were instead taken to a commercial establishment owned by Ortiz Gil. There, they were allegedly subjected to surveillance via cameras, required to perform sexual acts, and prohibited from leaving until late at night. A victim’s testimony, cited by prosecutors, indicated that Ortiz Gil instructed the women to charge specific amounts for drinks and sexual services, while also demanding they pay for travel and expenses. The suspect, however, denied the charges, leading a judge to impose a house arrest measure as part of the judicial process. The mother of one of the victims used mobile tracking to locate her daughter in Villavicencio, triggering a security operation that rescued the four women, as reported in Source 1. The Fiscalía’s investigation revealed that Ortiz Gil allegedly controlled the victims’ movements, provided lodging, and enforced strict conditions at the establishment. The agency imputed her with aggravated trafficking, citing evidence including canceled bus tickets and witness statements.

Charges Filed Against Suspect for Human Trafficking

The case came to light after a mother reported her daughter missing, using mobile tracking to locate her in Villavicencio. This led to a security operation that rescued the four women, who had been detained under false pretenses. The Fiscalía’s investigation revealed that Ortiz Gil allegedly controlled the victims’ movements, provided lodging, and enforced strict conditions at the establishment. The agency imputed her with aggravated trafficking, citing evidence including canceled bus tickets and witness statements. The victims were transported from Medellín to Villavicencio via bus, with canceled tickets forming part of the evidence, according to Source 1. The suspect, who was also known as “Ivonne,” allegedly told the victims they had to pay for travel and expenses, as noted in the fiscal’s testimony. During the judicial process, the fiscal stated that Ortiz Gil required the women to stay for at least 20 days and begin work at 8 p.m., as reported in Source 1.

Victims Lured with False Employment Offers

The women traveled from Medellín under the promise of employment as waitresses, but upon arrival, they were allegedly told to engage in sexual activities. One victim recounted that Ortiz Gil required them to “have sex with clients” for 80,000 pesos, with a minimum payment of 70,000 pesos. The Fiscalía’s report also noted that the suspect allegedly threatened to prevent the women from returning to Medellín unless they complied with the demands. The victims’ accounts, corroborated by surveillance footage and travel records, formed the basis of the charges against Ortiz Gil. The fiscal testified that the victims were “encerradas, vigiladas por cámaras” (locked in and monitored by cameras), as described in Source 3. The investigation also found that Ortiz Gil dictated the prices for drinks and sexual services, with one victim stating that she had to pay for the expenses incurred during the trip, according to Source 1. The suspect’s house arrest was imposed after she denied the charges, as noted in Source 2.

Details of the Rescues and Legal Proceedings

The rescue of the four women occurred after the mother of one of the victims alerted authorities to her daughter’s possible location, leading to a security operation at the commercial establishment. The Fiscalía confirmed that the victims had been held in the establishment between April 27 and May 8, 2024, as stated in Source 3. During the judicial process, a fiscal from the Seccional Meta imputed the charge of aggravated trafficking against Ortiz Gil, according to Source 2. The suspect’s legal team did not accept the charges, prompting the judge to order house arrest. The Fiscalía also reported that the victims were subjected to conditions of enclosure and surveillance, with the establishment equipped with a camera system to monitor their movements. The case was later highlighted in a tweet by the Fiscalía Colombia, which noted that the victims had been received by Ortiz Gil and that the mother’s alert led to the rescue, as mentioned in Source 3. The legal proceedings continue as the investigation seeks to establish the full scope of the trafficking network.