Two people of Gujarati-origin face sex crime charges in US

Ahmedabad: Two unrelated cases in the United States have brought individuals of Gujarati origin into focus in separate sex crime investigations. In Arizona, a motel owner was sentenced after pleading guilty in a case linked to a prostitution and drug racket. In New Jersey, a 46-year-old man was arrested on sexual assault charges involving a 15-year-old. The investigations are unrelated but have drawn attention due to the serious nature of the allegations. Court proceedings are underway in both jurisdictions.Varsha Patel, a 57-year-old from Chino Hills in California, was sentenced on Feb 4 by US district judge Susan M Brnovich in Phoenix, Arizona. The court placed her on five years of probation and ordered the forfeiture of the Royal Inn motel, along with $744,000 (Rs 6.8 crore approx) in illegal proceeds and a $5,000 (Rs 4.5 lakh approx) fine. Patel had pleaded guilty to using a facility of interstate commerce in aid of racketeering enterprises.
The case stemmed from a coordinated investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Phoenix police department and the US Marshals Service. Authorities said the Royal Inn operated as a base for prostitution and drug sales for several years. A search warrant executed in Sep 2024 led to the seizure and closure of the motel. Officials noted that residents and nearby schools had repeatedly complained about suspected criminal activity linked to the property.In a separate case in New Jersey, Tejas Patel, 46, of Woodbridge, was arrested on Thursday by the Special Victims Unit of the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. He faces charges of second-degree sexual assault and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child under New Jersey law.Prosecutors alleged that the offences occurred on multiple occasions in 2024 in Jersey City, when the victim was 15 years old. Investigators said the accused met the minor through a social media platform. He was arrested in Secaucus town and lodged at the Hudson County Correctional Facility pending his first court appearance.