Self-proclaimed “Mayor of Bissonnet” sentenced to 10 years for sex crimes

HOUSTON - A 58-year-old registered sex offender has been ordered to federal prison for aiding and abetting the transportation of a woman across state lines to engage in prostitution and failing to comply with requirements of the Sex Offender Registration Act, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.

Paul Edwards Evans aka Blue Diamond pleaded guilty May 29.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth M. Hoyt has now sentenced Holmes to a total of 120 months in prison. In imposing the sentence, the court considered Evans had inducted two family members into the family business which involved the trafficking of women to engage in commercial sex acts.

The crimes took place in the Bissonnet street area of Houston and in various other cities between Texas and California including Las Vegas, Nevada.

The "blade" or "track" is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.

As a registered sex offender, he was also required to notify authorities when traveling from state to state. However, as part of his plea, he admitted that he failed to do so.

Evans will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Wirsing prosecuted the case.

The FBI and Houston Police Department (HPD) conducted the investigation as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA) with the assistance of the Santa Barbara, California, Police Department.

HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General's Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL - Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration - OIG and Sheriff's Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney's offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.

Established in 2004, the United States Attorney's office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.