Authorities bust family-run network trafficking women from Mexico for sex in Oxnard

Authorities say they have dismantled an extensive sex and human trafficking network that was being run by members of an Oxnard family.

Ira and Erika Malarowitz were identified Monday by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department as the masterminds of a network of Oxnard-area brothels selling sex from women who had been trafficked from Mexico. Investigators say the married couple and their family members operated the brothels at massage and skin care businesses, then laundered their profits through a restaurant.

Search warrants were served last Friday at several locations — including Magic Therapy, Mission Spa, and Souly Foot Massage in Oxnard, and Sunshine Therapy in Port Hueneme — where several trafficked women were found, Ventura County sheriff's officials said. Large amounts of cash believed to be proceeds from sex and drug trafficking were also seized, along with large amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, marijuana, and two firearms, one of which was an untraceable ghost gun.

To protect their identities, Ventura County sheriff's Detective Ernan Jauregui said he could not give the exact number of women who were rescued from the trafficking operation. He said they ranged in age from 20 to 50 years old, and were provided with services from a non-governmental partner.

The investigation into the operation began in March of 2021, when Ventura County sheriff's human trafficking investigators and the FBI were tipped off to a sex and labor trafficking network in Ventura County. Women "of underprivileged backgrounds" from Mexico were targeted to work in these businesses. Investigators say that once the women were recruited, they would be featured in online sex ads that described pricing, the type of sexual encounters available, and the business where they were working.

The advertisement were updated daily and the women were rotated throughout the businesses owned by the family, according to investigators.

Authorities say the Malarowitzes operated the organization, while family members collected daily payment receipts from all the businesses, recruited the women, posted the sex advertisements and dabbled in some drug trafficking.

Burrito Express in Oxnard was also identified as part of the trafficking network as a business through which the funds from the brothels could be laundered, Ventura County sheriff's officials said.

None of the suspects identified have been arrested, and the case has been presented to the U.S. Attorney's Office for prosecution.