A routine police call over a theft complaint at a Nebraska hotel last year uncovered an alleged trafficking racket involving minors, hotel employees, and multiple Gujarati-origin hotel operators in the US. A federal court has now sentenced Gujarat native Kavankumar Patel to 10 years in prison for his role in the case. The 27-year-old, who was working illegally at the AmericInn hotel in Omaha, was convicted on two counts of sex trafficking of minors.
Sentence and Deportation
Senior Judge Joseph F Bataillon pronounced the sentence on Tuesday. Patel will serve his term without parole and faces deportation to India after completing his sentence.
Discovery of the Trafficking Ring
The case surfaced on January 6, 2025, after Omaha police responded to a theft complaint at the AmericInn hotel. During the investigation, officers uncovered evidence of sex trafficking and rescued two minor girls, US residents aged 15 and 16, who had been brought from outside the state. The two girls revealed that they were told they must engage in sex with hotel staff to get a reduced room rate or else they would be kicked out. Patel later admitted to using hotel funds to pay traffickers for sex with one of the minors. Sources familiar with the investigation indicated that agencies were also examining a possible drug abuse angle linked to the case.
Broader Network Exposed
The probe, led by the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF), later uncovered a broader network allegedly involving several Gujarati-origin hotel operators in Nebraska. Patel was among six accused, including Sumit Choudhary and Vishal Goswami, who continue to remain in custody. The AmericInn hotel was owned by Gujarati businessman Ketan alias Ken Choudhary and his wife Falguni Choudhary. Both were arrested later in 2025 after federal agencies raided four Nebraska hotels allegedly linked to the couple.
Raids and Evidence
During the raids, authorities seized $565,000 (approximately Rs 5.4 crore) in cash and reportedly uncovered evidence linked to immigration fraud, hidden surveillance cameras, and exploitation of workers. Investigators alleged that traffickers used online advertisements to arrange commercial sex acts at the hotels, while victims were kept under coercive conditions with limited food and constant threats. United States Attorney Lesley Woods said in a statement, 'The Homeland Security Task Force rescued these children from a living nightmare. We will continue to pursue traffickers and protect vulnerable victims.'
Separate Case in Florida
In a separate but recent case involving a person of Gujarati origin, US authorities arrested 41-year-old Siddharth Sunil Kumar Patel in Florida during an undercover Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) operation conducted earlier this month. Patel, a technology professional residing in Frisco, Texas, allegedly engaged in sexually explicit online conversations with individuals he believed were minors before traveling to Lake City for a planned meeting. He was arrested on May 14 and faces multiple felony charges, including solicitation of a child and sexual assault. Investigators said undercover detectives posing as teenage girls lured him through online advertisements.
Falguni Choudhary's Role
In a chilling revelation, investigators found that Falguni Choudhary, wife of Gujarati hotelier Ketan alias Ken Choudhary, allegedly watched live footage of trafficked minors being forced into sex acts inside the hotel rooms. Hidden cameras were installed in rooms of the AmericInn and other properties in Nebraska, where minors were exploited by traffickers and hotel staff. A hotel employee testified that Falguni would sit and watch the recordings 'as casually as one watches a soap opera,' while minors were coerced into sex with staff and customers. The victims, aged 15 and 16, told police they were threatened with eviction and starvation if they refused.
