February 20, 2026
Thom Carroll/For PhillyVoice
Efran Flores-Rodriguez and Fernando Meza-Ramirez are facing human trafficking charges for allegedly running rival sex trafficking operations in Norristown. Flores-Rodriguez also is charged with attempted murder for allegedly shooting Meza-Ramirez.
A shooting investigation in Norristown uncovered rival sex trafficking operations and led to the arrest of two men earlier this week, the Montgomery County District Attorney's Office said.
Efran Flores-Rodriguez, 24, of Norristown, and Fernando Meza-Ramirez, 42, of Corona, New York, were on opposing sides of a turf war between human trafficking operations that brought women to Norristown to serve as sex workers, investigators said. Flores-Rodriguez also is accused of shooting Meza-Ramirez.
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Norristown police found Meza-Ramirez in his Toyota RAV4 with a gunshot wound to his thigh after they responded to reports of multiple gunshots near the 400 block of Sandy Street on at 7:24 p.m. on Feb. 13., prosecutors said. He told officers that he was heading to get tacos in Norristown, but pulled over after sensing that he was being followed. That's when, he told police, he was shot by the passenger of a neighboring car.
Investigators said they found multiple indications that Meza-Ramirez was involved in human trafficking while interviewing Meza-Ramirez, including "business cards with photos of scantily clad women that offered them for sex services." Meza-Ramirez, who was treated at Paoli Hospital, allegedly would transport women from New York City to Norristown to engage in prostitution.
Flores-Rodriguez allegedly operated a rival sex trafficking organization. Citing a witness account, investigators said Flores-Rodriguez spotted Meza-Ramirez's vehicle on Lafayette Street on the night of the shooting. He and another person followed Meza-Ramirez in a stolen Acura TLX to Sandy Street, where Flores-Rodriguez shot Meza-Ramirez from the Acura's backseat, investigators said.
During a search of Flores-Rodriguez's home on Jacoby Street, investigators allegedly found the stolen car, two loaded semi-automatic firearms and a sex worker from his sex trafficking operation.
The sex worker told police that Flores-Rodriguez would pick her up from her home in Flushing, New York and bring her to Norristown, investigators said. Flores-Rodriguez allegedly would offer her a room in his home and transport multiple men to meet her for sexual services each day.
The woman told police that she also had worked as a sex worker for Meza-Ramirez, alleging his operation had been ongoing for at least five years, prosecutors said.
Flores-Rodriguez and Meza-Ramirez were arrested Tuesday. Flores-Rodriguez has been charged with attempted murder, trafficking individuals and related offenses. Meza-Ramirez has been charged with trafficking individuals and involuntary servitude.
They were denied bail at their arraignment hearings on Wednesday and are being held in Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
