Witness breaks down at sex-slave trial

The sister of the man accused of heading a sexual-slavery scheme in Suffolk broke down on the witness stand Wednesday, crying, sobbing and holding her head in her hands under a hammering cross-examination by a defense attorney.

Jasmin Rivera, 33, has been cooperating with federal prosecutors in return for possible leniency in the case against her brother, Antonio Rivera, 35, of Patchogue, and two other defendants, Jason Villaman, 32, of Brentwood, and John Whaley, 31, of Bellport.

The Medford woman has sought to minimize her role in operating the alleged slavery ring from two cantinas, saying that she was merely an employee of her brother. But she lost her composure under fierce questioning by Whaley's defense attorney, federal public defender Tracey Gaffey.

Gaffey sought to show that Jasmin Rivera played an active leadership part in the scheme, had minimized her own callous treatment of waitresses who were the alleged victims, and failed to call authorities to report the abuse.

She eventually cried and blurted out, "I should have called the police. That's why I'm here. That's why I am dressed in [prisoner's] green."

At other times during the cross-examination or at a break in the trial, Rivera held her head in her hands and wept.

Villaman's attorney Terry Buckley also asked why -- despite being arrested two years ago and questioned by authorities on at least five occasions -- she had only recently, on Friday, told officials that Villaman had been involved in selling waitresses to patrons for sex.

Jasmin Rivera said she previously had never directly been asked about those parts of Villaman's activities, and insisted as part of her cooperation agreement, she had agreed "to tell the truth, and only the truth, and not to lie."

Gaffey read pretrial witness statements about Jasmin Rivera's actions and her lack of concern for a waitress who had apparently been raped by a patron, and a waitress injured in a fight. But Jasmin Rivera denied she had said anything callous.

She did acknowledge that she told waitresses who were sitting by themselves and not having sex with customers that they were not being paid "to sit around . . . they were not saints and they should get up and go to work."

In court, Jasmin Rivera said: "If they weren't going to have sex, they wouldn't have taken the job."

She is expected to complete her testimony today.