The duo functioned as booking agents for 15 Brazilian women orchestrating advertising, managing client communications and coordinating bookings for sex workers who were on temporary entry visas. Their operations primarily revolved around motels scattered across the central North Island.
MBIE national manager of immigration investigations, James Friend said the culmination of years of effort by immigration officials leading to the arrest should serve as a deterrent against individuals seeking to exploit migrants for financial gain.
“While there was no indication of worker exploitation in this case, the fact remains that visa conditions were breached. The women came to New Zealand on temporary entry class visas which are predominately used for short stays such as family visits, tourism, specific work or short study stints. Instead, the two individuals facilitated the women to breach their visa conditions and work illegally while they were here,” Friend said.
Friend said the conditions of a temporary entry visa carry a stipulation barring holders from providing commercial sexual services while in New Zealand.
“These conditions are important because migrants who come to New Zealand on temporary entry-class visas and do work in the commercial sex industry are vulnerable to exploitation either from their employers or customers, and they are highly unlikely to make a complaint to the authorities.”
Sloan was sentenced in the Auckland District Court before Judge John Bergseng to 10 months home detention.
His co-offender will be sentenced on April 12.
Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.
