Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999–…): Season 23, Episode 17 - Once Upon a Time in El Barrio - full transcript

In the criminal justice
system,

sexually based offenses

are considered
especially heinous.

In New York City,
the dedicated detectives

who investigate
these vicious felonies

are members of an elite squad

known as
the Special Victims Unit.

These are their stories.

- Speaks Spanish...
- How long do we have to wait?

They'll call us,
and speak English.

Show them we're ready
for New York.



How many girls do they need?

What if they don't pick us?

Ay, for a modeling job?
No one's prettier than you.

We all go together.

Birds of a feather.

Valeria Acevedo.

Speaks Spanish...

So, Valeria, tell me,

why do you want
to go to New York?

Someday, I want
to dance, sing, act.

My name in lights
like the movies.

Well, you're certainly
pretty enough.

And all these school plays?
You must be very talented.

But New York
can be a lonely place.



Oh, my friends and I want
to live together.

Speaks Spanish...

Speaks Spanish...

Well, then, let's make
your dreams come true.

Our fee is $5,000.

I only have 500.

Oh, that's a shame.

Is there anyone that
you can borrow the money from?

I don't think so.

Okay.

There might be something
I can do.

Gracias.

Speaks Spanish...

- What are we doing here?
- Listen up.

We need your IDs,
jewelry, phones, money.

Put them in the bag.

It's been a long trip.

Take this.

I'm not taking this

or giving you my phone.
It doesn't belong to you.

Everything belongs to me.

You don't ask, you do.
Take the pill.

Leave her alone.

Maribel.
Mari.

Maribel!

- No, no.
- No.

- Maribel!
- Maribel, please.

No, no.

- Get up, get up.
- No, no, no.

- Maribel!
- No, no.

No.
Stop!

- No.
- Mari.

Anyone else
have something to say?

No, no.

My sister has plans for you,

or you'd be dead too.

Still no Rollins?

I thought her mother
was doing better.

No, she is.

I think everyone
just needed a break.

And Carisi is taking
Rollins and her girls

to Orlando for a couple days.

- The things we do for love.
- Right?

I've been meaning
to ask you about Stabler.

They booted him out of OC?

Why?
What are you hearing?

Nothing good.
He's not calling me back.

You talk to him?

Fin, what if I told you
not to worry

about Stabler or me or...

- Sorry to interrupt.
- Velasco, are you okay?

No, not really.

I'm talking to my parish priest

in Juarez, Father Daníel.

He needs our help.

Okay.
Sorry, Fin.

Hi, Father.
I'm Captain Benson.

This is Sergeant Tutuola.

Yes, José has spoken
of both of you.

How can we help you, Father?

Three teenage girls

have gone missing
from my parish.

They were being smuggled
into New York.

Valeria, Maribel, and Sofia.

Did they tell you their plan
for crossing the border?

Some arrangement,
nothing legal.

Three days go by.
I don't hear from the girls.

Valeria sends me
this voicemail.

Maribel!

It sounds like
they're being tortured,

and I have to do something
besides just pray.

So where are we
on these girls?

Juarez PD ran
Father Daníel's phone.

They think that Valeria's call
came from East Harlem.

Okay, so we know that
they made it to New York.

- That's a start.
- But they're off the grid.

All three girls' phones
are dead.

Juarez PD is
tracking the numbers.

And what about hospitals,
the morgue?

No females
match the description.

We have a call
into the local precinct.

Was Juarez PD
able to tell you

who helped them
over the border?

No, not yet.
I mean, there's hundreds

of traffickers
that work in Juarez.

It's a whole industry.

The PD is trying
to narrow it down.

And you trust those cops?

I mean, how could crews
operate on that scale

if the law wasn't paid off
or corrupt?

Because there's still
a few left that are honest.

There's more than a few.

Hold on.
This is 2-9 responding.

Sergeant Tutuola, SVU.

Yeah.
Damn.

- Copy that.
- They find them?

Badly burnt body
of a young female

was found in a lot
near the East River.

Matches the description.

I'm sorry, Velasco.

Who called it in?

Homeless guy found her.
Someone set this girl on fire,

tried to hide the body
under some skids.

- No witnesses.
- Any security footage?

- Yeah, full color, 4K.
- Yeah, we get it.

Hope you liked
your breakfast,

'cause you might see it again.

Might not be able to ID her.

Gonna have to wait
on DNA and dental.

No, hold on.

It's the same silver cross,
handmade in Cuervos.

It's Maribel.

I'm gonna have
to call Father Daníel.

José.

I got bad news, Padre.

It's Maribel.
I'm so sorry.

What happened to her?

Doesn't matter.
She's gone.

Valeria, Sofia?

Nothing yet,
but we know where to look now.

I'll be praying for them

and for you.

Thank you, Padre.

Hey,
how's Father Daníel doing?

He's a wreck.
His heart is broken.

Valeria Acevedo's parents
were murdered by the cartel.

She was raised
by Father Daníel and the nuns.

I mean, he was basically
a surrogate dad

to all the kids.

- You too?
- Yeah.

You know, when I got
in trouble with the gangs,

he helped me
by hiding in his church.

And he helped my mom
get me to the U.S.

You know, these girls,
they just wanted a better life.

I know, and we will keep
working the case.

Look, I already spoke
to the captain at the 2-9,

and we will meet
with him tomorrow, okay?

Tomorrow?

Why don't you give me
clearance as a UC,

and I can go back
to East Harlem tonight?

The 2-9 wants
to work with SVU,

- and they know the neighborhood.
- So do I.

Velasco,
you've had a tough day, man.

Why don't you just go home
and get some rest?

That's an order.

Hey, baby, you want a date?

You're beautiful, but
I'm looking for Mexican girls.

Mexican chiquitas?

You're in the wrong place
for that.

Look, baby,
you're jamming up my traffic.

Try Paladino Avenue
for that flavor.

- Paladino?
- Sí.

Got it.
Thanks.

Mexican, young?

You want a kid
instead of a woman?

There's some Spanish girls
working by All Souls,

pedo-man.

Valeria?

You can call me
whatever you want.

You work here a lot?

I'm around.
What are you looking for?

I just want to talk.

- My time is money.
- How about 15 minutes?

50 bucks.

We go back to my place,
you can do whatever you want.

Or I walk away right now.

Wait, no.
Hold on.

I got the cash.
Here.

Thank you.

Hands above your head!

- Whoa, whoa, whoa.
- Hands up.

I'm on the job.
Hold on, hold on.

And so am I,
Detective Rosanny Chávez.

You are under arrest.

Wait, I'm doing
an investigation.

Yeah, so am I.
Turn around.

Why don't you find
my badge and my gun?

Captain,
we have an NYPD detective.

Everything all right here,
Chávez?

I'm on the job.
SVU, Detective Velasco.

Okay, I get it,
Detective Velasco.

- So I can go?
- Sure.

No.
It's all on film.

I toss you back,
I get jammed up.

Listen, Cap,
you got to believe me.

I'm looking for girls that
are trafficked from Juarez.

You talking about
the girl that was burned?

Yeah.

Yeah, I talked
to your captain, Benson.

She didn't tell me
she was sending in a UC.

She didn't exactly know
about this.

Okay, but see, that doesn't
sound good either, does it?

You're on the job,
but your CO doesn't know?

Nah, doesn't cut it.

Either way,
he's under arrest?

Yup.

You're entitled
to one phone call.

I'd make it to your captain.

Captain Benson,

nice to meet you in person.

Don Kubiak.
Welcome to my house.

And this is Sergeant Tutuola.

- How you doing?
- Yes, sir.

Well, sorry
about your detective.

Oh, that's not on you,
Captain.

Although for what it's worth,

Velasco is
taking this case personally.

Yeah, I got that,
but I had to hold the guy

- until someone vouched for him.
- Of course.

Said he didn't want
to call you until the morning

'cause he didn't want
to wake you.

- At least he got that right.
- Oh, yeah.

This is
Detective Rosanny Chávez.

- Oh, the UC who arrested him.
- Sorry to cause trouble.

A lot of times,
when I bust a cop,

they claim they're doing
an investigation.

Well, in this case,
he actually was,

even though I told him not to.

Well, we'll give you a minute
alone with your cowboy.

Thank you.

Excuse me.

Hey, Cap.
I'm sorry.

McGrath's not happy,
and neither am I.

And if we weren't
short-staffed,

Velasco,
I'd take you off this case.

It's not gonna happen again.

So the girls from Juarez
just got here?

- Within the week.
- They usually put these girls

to work right away,
but not on the streets.

Can we look at your mug shots
just in case?

- Sure.
- Okay, I'll go get them.

Thank you.

Here are the women
we did arrest.

Older,
on the streets a long time.

Not your vics.

Look, you were right, Chávez.
I mean, forget the streets.

He advertises them online
on these niche sites.

Work them out of motels,
drive them to out-calls.

Online sites, you're looking
for needles in a haystack.

Well, maybe we should start
with the Mexican community.

Drivers, delivery guys,
I mean, somebody's seen them.

No doubt, but
they're mostly undocumented.

They're not talking
to the police.

Not if they're in uniform,

but I was
a community affairs officer

for two years.

You have contacts?

We can start with Señora.
Her place is a little walk,

but it's got the best coffee
and chisme in town.

Chisme?
What's that, pastry?

- It means gossip.
- Even better.

So this was your idea
of a little walk?

- Fin...
- It'll be worth it.

Juana Ramírez is
the soul of this neighborhood.

If anything's going on,
she'll know about it.

Okay,
I'm gonna wait out here.

Nobody likes a bakery
full of cops.

Get me a coffee
and some chisme.

You keep going that like,
you'll break a hand.

Rosanny,
are these officers with you?

I'm Captain Benson.
This is Detective Velasco.

- We're with SVU.
- SVU?

I wish you'd come up here

before that poor girl
got killed.

So do I.

Sounds like you tried
to help them.

No one else would.

Please, Señora.

Detective Velasco...
He's from Juarez,

and he may know
some of the girls.

Anapra.

And you got out?

Well, I had a lot of help,
unlike these girls.

Good for you.

So what can you tell us
about them?

A new group comes in here
every few weeks.

Young, pretty,
usually in maid uniforms

from that motel by the river,
but they do more than cleaning.

Okay.
And do they come in alone?

No, never.
Always with that man.

30s, cabezón.

Bald head, cold eyes.

The girls are
quiet around him, afraid.

I give them coffee,
sneak bread,

so they have something
to keep them going.

You recognize any of them?

No, I'm sorry.
I never forget a face.

If they do come in,

or any other girls
that you're worried about,

please call me.
Anytime, day or night.

Of course.

And here, pan Dulce.

- To keep you all going.
- Gracias, Señora.

I never seen.

I have to work.

Are you sure?

You can trust me.
Please.

Come on, man, work with us.

Or we'll nickel and dime you to
death with building violations.

I just started here.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

Oh, no.
No, no, no, no.

Policía...

Listen, we just want
to talk to you.

From Juarez.

Speaks Spanish...

Speaks Spanish...

Lucía.

Lucía...

I know you're scared.

But if you help us,
we can help you.

You were good with her.

Thanks, but I think
she's scared of men.

You know, maybe she'll open up
to you if you're alone.

Yeah, I'll let you know.
Thanks, Velasco.

Yeah.

One of the girls, Lucía...
We thought she recognized

Maribel in the photo,
but she wouldn't say.

Chávez went back
to try on her own.

Okay, get Lucía's name
and her description

to Father Daníel and Juarez PD.

See if anybody knows
who she is.

The place was quiet.

No johns, no dealers.

Somebody might've
tipped them off.

Detective Chávez?
Yeah.

Lucía's willing to talk.

Tell her we'll meet her
anywhere she wants.

Come in, come in.
I'm worried.

They should be here already.

She just texted.
They're on their way.

I hope so.

So how long have you known
Detective Chávez?

Rosanny?
She worked here

when she was in high school,

but she was very awful
in the kitchen, got fired.

- She turned out okay.
- They're across the street.

- I'll get the door.
- All right.

Should we let them in?

- Watch out!
- Hey, watch out!

No!

10-13, 10-13, officer down.

110 and Pleasant.
Rush a bus.

Where'd the girl go?
La niña?

- Rosanny, hold on.
- Stay with us, Rosanny.

Rosanny, stay with us.
Honey, stay with us.

- At Mercy Hospital...
- A tragedy.

A tragedy following...

...ended the life
of an NYPD detective.

Captain Kubiak,
we just heard,

and we are so sorry
for your loss.

I thought
she was gonna make it.

She was on the table
for three hours.

Rosanny was the heart
of the 2-9.

We're gonna find
whoever did this.

Uh, you know
Counselor Baptiste.

Yeah, we've worked
our share of homicides.

But one of our own,
even worse.

Where are we on witnesses?

We went back
to the Sky High Motel.

The clerk said all the girls
were moved out last night.

We're pulling
traffic cam footage

on every street in East Harlem.

We do have
one eyewitness, Lucía.

Yeah, we saw her get hit.
She must've run away.

She may be injured.
Check hospitals, clinics.

Find her
before the traffickers do.

So sorry.

Rosanny loved
this neighborhood,

wanted to make it better.

We're really sorry, Señora.

We need to find Lucía.

She's hurt and hasn't showed up
in any ERs.

That's what detectives
from Rosanny's precinct said.

They were here.
I didn't tell them anything.

Well, can you tell us?

Is there a clinic
where the undocumented go?

We trusted Rosanny.
Can we trust you?

- Excuse me.
- Can I help you?

Yeah, I got hit by
a delivery guy

on an electric bike,

and I think I might've
broken my arm.

I don't have insurance,
but Señora told me...

- Señora?
- Yeah.

- Come with me, please.
- Thank you.

Um, how long
do you think it'll be?

The doctor's just finished
with another broken arm.

She'll be with you soon.

- No, no policía.
- Lucía, look at me.

Hey, I don't want to hurt you.
I just want to talk to you.

- Leave me alone, please.
- Listen to me.

- Please?
- You can trust me.

I just want
to talk to you, okay?

All right?

Just let me go.
Am I under arrest?

- No, no, honey, of course not.
- We just want to help you.

How?
By sending me back?

- No.
- They'll just kill me.

- I owe them money.
- Who?

Lourdes.
Her brother, Jorge.

Jorge, Lourdes.
Do they have a last name?

You gotta trust us.
It's okay.

Padilla, but you can't
tell them I told you.

We won't.
Lucía, we want to help you.

We want to find you
a safe place to stay.

What about the other girls?

Listen, you help us
find those girls,

and we'll get them out too.

Why do you care so much?

My priest in Juarez
knows Valeria and Sofia.

Valeria called him personally
about Maribel.

It's how we found you.

Well, you'll never find
the other girls.

They're going to sell
all the girls to another ring.

They took them away.

Where?
Do you know where?

I don't know,
but maybe the policeman does.

What policeman?

He's a captain.

Jorge says that's why
we have to have sex with him.

Do whatever he wanted.

I told Detective Chávez,

and she said
she was going to tell you.

Captain Kubiak,
thank you for coming in

on such short notice.

Of course.
Busy out there.

Yeah, so I know that
we're all still grieving,

but ADA Baptiste
is on his way in,

and we're putting together
a task force.

Yeah, I get it,

and I was looking through
Rosanny's DD5s, her notes.

She was on her way
to meet you guys.

You know what that was about?

She might've thought Velasco
could get Lucía to open up.

Any luck finding
this... Lucía, is it?

- She hasn't shown up in any ERs?
- We're just hoping

that the traffickers
haven't found her yet.

Poor girl.

Velasco is trying to connect
with her family in Juarez,

get a cell phone.

He's really tied in
down there.

That's good.

He's been talking
to Juarez PD.

Captains, Sarge, good news.

- Great.
- Oh, we could use it.

So I'm working on a tip.

This woman, Lourdes Padilla,
runs a bogus modeling agency

out of Juarez
that lured in all the girls.

She's in Mexico.
How does that help us?

Well, her brother,
Jorge Padilla,

runs the operation from here.

He handles all the girls,
pimps them out.

Pimps them out?
From East Harlem?

Captain, is there any chance
that one of your CIs knows him,

- picked him up?
- He doesn't look familiar.

- Juarez get a number?
- Yup.

It's a burner.
TARU's triangulating.

Let me get a photo
out to my guys.

Hold on.
I got something.

I got a list of numbers Jorge
called in the last 48 hours.

Most of them are in Mexico,
but some are local.

Takeout places
and several motels.

There's a lot of
Suffolk County area codes here.

Lot of MS-13
in Suffolk County.

Could be.
We still run those numbers?

Yup.
On it.

- You gonna get that?
- Oh.

Oh, it's just my wife.

Actually,
it's a cell phone number

that Jorge called a dozen times
in the last week.

The last one was
at 9:00 a.m. this morning.

That's your life sentence
calling, dude.

Do you have anything to say?

Screw you.

Also, lawyer.

I got the judge
to sign off on warrants

for Kubiak's cell phone,
computer, and his office.

We will also run
his financials.

My guess is
that it's more about

access to these girls
than it is bribery.

I pulled his jacket.
He's got a bad pedigree.

Multiple allegations
over 20 years.

And he got promoted
to captain?

Oh, come on,
you know how that goes.

I mean, the old-boy network.
Union protections.

The one case that
did get filed against him...

It got tossed because
of qualified immunity.

What about the girl
you picked up?

Lucía,
the one who accused Kubiak.

We have her
in protective custody,

and we need to bring her in
for a lineup.

Right, because
we need as much leverage

against this guy as we can get.

You just take your time,
Lucía.

How much longer is

this guessing game
going to go on, Captain?

We don't want to rush
to judgment, now,

do we, Counselor?

Can he see me?

- No.
- No.

You're safe here.

Number four.

Number four,
please step forward.

That's him.

The policeman who made... us
have sex with him.

Okay.
Good job.

You want a moment
with your client,

or do we take him
straight to arraignment?

This is a setup.

A prostitute's word
against an NYPD cop?

She's a trafficking victim.
I'd watch myself, Counselor.

I meant no disrespect
to the girl,

but you have no evidence.

Oh, I have Lucía's word,
and she can describe

your client's genitals
in pretty specific detail.

We can do
the full forensic exam now...

Or may Captain Kubiak wants
to get ahead of all that.

Everything with Lucía
was consensual.

So you paid her?

No, she was
more like a girlfriend.

Really?
And the other girls?

What other girls?
I don't know them.

You do know them,

but what we need to know
is where they are now.

My client is telling you
everything he knows.

No, he's not.

Look, we're gonna go
through your phone records,

through your burner.

We're gonna get a history

of everyone that you've seen

and every single phone call

that you've made
in the last ten years.

Do you really think that we
don't know that you're lying?

- Don't insult us.
- Well, I never raped anyone.

Is that what
you tell yourself?

That these brutalized,
terrorized little girls

like servicing you?

There is no need
to get nasty.

You're right.
We know he's a dirty cop

trading protection for sex
and a little tip money.

- Let's move on.
- Yes, let's.

So the only question
on the table...

is, how complicit were you

in the death
of your own detective?

How dare you?

None of this happens,
Rosanny is alive today,

if you people hadn't started
sticking you nose in it.

Is that your take on it?
You are disgusting.

You know what?

You should be giving me
more respect,

because maybe I can get you
to these girls

before they are shipped out
to God knows where

to do God knows what.

- We're listening.
- Wait a minute.

What kind of deal
are we talking about?

He'll put in his papers,

but he wants immunity,
full retirement.

- For rape?
- Depends on his information.

- Are you kidding me?
- I didn't rape anyone.

How many times
do I have to tell you that?

Sorry to interrupt.
Captain.

Well, we've got
some new information here

that might move us along.

Your girlfriend, Lucía,

is 15 years old.

- You can't prove that.
- Juarez PD is sending us

her birth certificate
right now.

Trafficking, murder of a cop,
rape of a minor.

Captain,

I think
that you should think about

what life for a pedophile cop
is gonna be like in prison.

Well played in there.

I wasn't playing.
Are you kidding me?

I can't believe
that you're even thinking

about giving this piece of crap
any kind of deal.

The priority
is to find the girls

- and arrest the traffickers.
- And you trust him?

We don't have a choice.

We're ready to go.

You tip them off,
I shoot you myself.

Easy.

My client wants to get to Jorge
as much as you do.

And this number
we're calling...

That's another phone for Jorge?

No, it's Jorge's driver,
Ossiel.

A burner.
Signal's moving around Yonkers.

Make the call.

Tell Ossiel
to get Jorge on the line.

- Capitán?
- Yeah, I need Jorge.

Calling me with all this heat?

- Is it safe?
- You know what's not safe?

Taking out a NYPD detective.

I'm working overtime
finding her killer.

Not my problem.

You were supposed to
scare her, not mow her down.

I don't know
what you're talking about.

I got bigger problems.

They picked up Lourdes
in Juarez.

Yeah, I know.

You know?
How?

You rat my sister out
to save your own ass?

Are you crazy, man?
I'm keeping my mouth shut.

The reason I'm calling is,
I found Lucía.

She has a broken arm.

As long
as the rest of her works.

I might be able
to bring her to you,

but I'm gonna need a taste.

Don't you always?
Bring Lucía up to Yonkers.

I got a buyer for Valeria

and the other girls
in Buffalo.

Good.
How you gonna move them?

If they have your sister,
they might be looking for you.

You can't be driving a van
filled with illegals right now.

What do you suggest?

Let me drive the girls
to Buffalo.

Anyone pulls me over,
I flash my shield.

They let me drive on.

Okay, but I'm coming
with you.

Fine, fine.
Where's the girls now?

How about you pick up
a new burner?

Get to the sawmill.

I'll figure out
a new meeting place.

No, Jorge, I just need...

Signal lost.

Looks like we're going
for a ride.

You okay, Detective?

I'll be better
when we get these guys.

There they are.
You go first.

Unarmed?

You got a vest on,
plus I'll be right behind you.

And remember, if they ask,
I'm the buyer from Chihuahua.

Where's our backup?

They're out of sight
until we get the girls.

They might want
to take a look at Lucía.

Understood.
I'll keep my face covered.

Okay, here we go.

This is a lot for Velasco.

He grew up
with cartels in Juarez.

He's got this.

- Let me see your hands now.
- Let me see your hands.

Okay, we all have our hands up.
You happy now?

Who the hell is this?

Oh, that's José.
He's up from Chihuahua.

He's in the same line of work
as you in New Haven.

Maybe we can
get this done without driving

six hours to Buffalo.

Where's the girls?

Where's Lucía?

Follow us.

Tell Jorge to get
his ass out here with the girl.

Here she is.

Valeria.

Where's the rest
of the girls?

Let's make this deal first.

Speaks Spanish...

Speaks Spanish...

What's he saying?

He said he wants
to pay 40, not 50.

Your girl, Lucía,
is damaged goods.

Speaks Spanish...

Put them in the van.

- What about my money?
- You'll get it from him.

Change of plans.

We're still driving to Buffalo.

Hold up, Jorge.
Let's not do this.

I'm owed.

NYPD.
Drop it.

- Police.
- What the hell?

Drop it.
You too.

NYPD.

Drop the gun.

Kubiak, you son of a bitch.

You can take your chances
with us, Jorge,

or you can stay alive
and take your chances in court.

It's over.

Drop it.

Speaks Spanish...

It's okay.
You're safe.

You're safe.
Come, come.

Speaks Spanish...

Padre,
we found Valeria and Sofia.

They're safe.

Thank God.

My captain wanted
the families

to know right away.

Speaks Spanish...

Thank you, thank you
for finding our girls, José.

Of course, Padre.