Woman accused in sex slavery case
Woman accused of forcing girl, 14, into prostitution could face life term
Bail for Denise Marie Coronado, 19, was raised to $100,000 in a Harris County courtroom Monday. Prosecutors accuse her of forcing a 14-year-old runaway girl into sexual slavery. Coronado allegedly plastered her own Facebook page with photos of cash, bragging that she didn’t need a job.
She went by “Bones Marie” and plastered her Facebook page with pictures of stacks of cash, bragging that she didn’t need a job, prosecutors said.
On Monday, a Harris County judge tripled the bail for 19-year-old Denise Marie Coronado after prosecutors accused her of forcing a 14-year-old runaway into sexual slavery. She could face up to life in prison if convicted of compelling prostitution of a minor.
“It’s alleged that the runaway, a 14-year-old, was abducted,” said Assistant District Attorney JoAnne Musick. “She had multiple men brought in to have sex with her while her captors collected the money.”
After hearing the allegations, and that Coronado had been arrested in the past for possession of marijuana and assault, state District Judge Nikita Harmon raised Coronado’s bail from $30,000 to $100,000.
Ruben Perez, the chief of the district attorney’s special crimes division, said the case is part of a renewed focus on sex trafficking.
“We’re not going to tolerate human traffickers, pimps or pimpettes enslaving our kids, enslaving our people in our county,” he said. “We have a cadre of lawyers willing to prosecute these people and we’re ready.”
Photos posted online
Coronado, who appeared in court in an orange jail uniform after being arrested last week, did not speak during the brief hearing.
Musick said the 14-yearold girl was abducted and taken to a house in a wooded area where she was raped by a man, who has not been identified, while Coronado watched. Days later, the teen allegedly was taken to a motel and photographed in lingerie. Those photos were posted on Backpage.com, a website that prosecutors said is known for promoting illicit acts such as prostitution.
Prosecutors said she was forced to have sex with 26 men over the course of a week before she escaped. She was threatened, then burned with a cigarette in order to get her to comply, prosecutors said.
She eventually got control of a cellphone and contacted her family with a Facebook message that she needed help but did not know where she was. They tipped off police who tracked the phone during the sporadic times it was on.
Days later, she escaped with help from two passers-by who took her to another motel. With the phone on continuously, police were able to find the teen. Musick declined to give other specifics on the escape, saying the investigation is continuing.
After Monday’s hearing, Coronado’s court-appointed attorney pointed out possible inconsistencies in the victim’s statement to police.
“If this young girl is actually being held against her will, why was she allowed access to a telephone and able to get on Facebook?” said Joe David Wells. “If she was kidnapped, why did she go to another hotel instead of going home?”
Two victims?
He said the unidentified man who is accused of abducting and raping the 14-year-old may have also been coercing Coronado.
“I have a feeling that, in the end, there might be two victims here and not just one,” he said. “Remember, my client is a teenager also.”
Coronado has prior charges in Harris County of possession of marijuana under 2 ounces, assault of a family member and assault causing bodily injury. She pleaded guilty to the marijuana charge and to assault of a family member. She remains in the Harris County Jail.