Homestead officials arrest men in child‑sex‑trafficking sting before World Cup
Two men from Homestead, Florida, were arrested on Tuesday during a child sex‑trafficking sting arranged by Homestead Police and the Miami‑Dade State Attorney’s Office. The investigation was carried out ahead of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) matches slated for Miami‑Dade County. Detectives posing as a mother offering her daughters for sexual exploitation lured the suspects to an undisclosed hotel in Homestead. The men, Mohamed Kazim Latiff, 51, and Tomas Julio Matom Gallego, 23, allegedly agreed to pay for sexual services with one or both minors before being taken into custody.
Both suspects face three felony charges each, including human trafficking of a person under 18; Matom also faces a resisting arrest charge. Latiff is a national of Guyana and Gallego is a national of Guatemala. According to records updated Wednesday, they are being held without bond at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center. The case remains under investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.