A shooting in Norristown, Pennsylvania, led police to uncover a human trafficking operation that spanned into New York City.

Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele and Norristown Police Chief Michael Trail announced Thursday that two men, both Mexican nationals working for rival sex trafficking operations, were arrested and charged in connection with the crimes earlier in February.

Fernando Meza-Ramirez, 42, of Corona, New York, was charged with human trafficking and firearms offenses. Efran Flores-Rodriguez, 24, of Norristown, was charged with the same offenses, along with attempted murder for allegedly shooting Meza-Ramirez. 

Officials said the investigation started just before 7:30 p.m on Feb. 13 with a shooting on the 400 block of Sandy Street. 

Meza-Ramirez was found on the 400 block of Sandy Street suffering from a gunshot wound to the thigh inside a Toyota Rav-4, according to officials. The car was struck by multiple gunshots. 

Initially, Meza-Ramirez allegedly told police he was being followed when he drove to Norristown to get tacos. When he pulled over on Sandy Street, he was shot. Officials said he was taken to Paoli Hospital for treatment. Officials believe Flores-Rodriguez was the person who shot Meza-Ramirez.

During the investigation, police uncovered that Meza-Ramirez was a human trafficker. Investigators said they found “business cards with photos of scantily clad women that offered them for sex services.” Meza-Ramirez allegedly drove women from New York City to Norristown for prostitution, according to officials. 

The investigation also uncovered that Meza-Ramirez was in a turf war with Flores-Rodriguez, who worked for a rival sex trafficking operation.

Officials said a witness told investigators that Flores-Rodriguez saw Meza-Ramirez’s vehicle on Lafayette Street in Norristown on the night of the shooting. 

Flores-Rodriguez was in a white Acura TLX that followed Meza-Ramirez and shot him on Sandy Street, according to officials. Flores-Rodriguez was allegedly in the back seat of the vehicle. The Acura TLX was allegedly stolen was from a parking lot in Norristown. 

On Feb. 17, officials said detectives searched Flores-Rodriguez’s residence on Jacoby Street in Norristown, where they found the Acura TLX allegedly involved in the shooting two semi-automatic firearms. They also found a victim of Flores-Rodriguez’s sex trafficking operation who was allegedly driven from Flushing, New York, on Feb. 16.

The woman told police she knew Flores-Rodriguez as “Guerro.” According to officials, Flores-Rodriguez provided her with a room Monday through Saturday a residence where “he transports numerous male clients to her every day for sexual services.”

The woman also told investigators she knew Meza-Ramirez, who went by the name “Leo.” He had been allegedly operating a sex trafficking operation in Norristown for the past five or six years.

Both Meza-Ramirez and Flores-Rodriguez were denied bail and taken to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility. They have preliminary hearings scheduled for April 10.

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