Selena Cruz is a former prostitute who now works as an enforcer for sex traffickers.
Background[]
She was born and raised in a town in Mexico called Vargas. One day she was at the market with her mother and Selena accidentally let go of her hand and was kidnapped and taken to Tenancingo, the sex trafficking center of Mexico. She was raped by Angel Perez, who eventually impregnated her with her son Miguel and kept their son hostage to make her work for him. Eventually she is promoted to enforcer and breaks the new girls in.
On SVU[]
Selena is first seen watching as Luna Garcia is arrested by Officer Nick Amaro, and informs Angel who sends Diego Ramirez to try and kill her but fails. She later brings in a new girl known as Carmen and as the John gets rough with her she comes to protect her when it is revealed to be a sting. Sergeant Benson tries threatening her with 10 years in prison if she doesn't cooperate but refuses. Later, Detective Tutuola escorts Selena's attorney in with Selena looking on in terror as he gets them to leave him and his client and for her not to say anything. Sergeant Benson and Detective Rollins later visit Selena in prison and reveal they know about her son and are willing to help get him back. Selena is reluctant but eventually reveals that Angel is the one that green-lit Ellie Porter. After an operation that ends with Angel's death, Selena is reunited with her son Miguel and supposedly quits the life. (SVU: "Girls Disappeared")
She later appears working for another sex trafficker named Timmer and is preparing to deliver a batch of five girls, including Pilar Morenas, to a party. After she buzzes the door and is unlocked she is arrested by Detective Rollins but tells the girls to keep silent while pretending not to speak English, not recognizing the detectives. She is taken to SVU where detectives book her and send her to prison. Detectives Fin and Amaro later interrogate her on the whereabouts of another trafficked girl named Ariel Thornhill and use her son as leverage. She does not testify against Timmer but she does disclose the location of a house they use to rotate girls. (SVU: "Undercover Mother")
She later makes a deal to testify against Johnny in exchange for a lighter sentence. While imprisoned in Sing Sing, Detective Amaro visits her to discuss her testimony in Johnny's trial. Selena states she wants to see her son, but Amaro tells her to wait after she testifies. Selena exclaims that after she testifies, she is dead and isn't comforted by Amaro's promise to protect her. Barba later has her and Timmer moved from Sing Sing to testify and Amaro warns her that this is her last chance at a new life and Selena just glares at him. When she is loaded into the truck with Timmer, Officer Fox gets in back with her and gives her a knife and orders her to kill Timmer on her boyfriend's orders. Selena slits Timmer's throat while Fox steps out and claims that Timmer tried to kill her. Sergeant Benson and Detective Rollins interrogate her when the facts don't match up with her story and she insists that he tried to kill her and threatened to kill her son. Unfortunately for her, the New York Ledger finds out about Officer Fox and her relationship with one of Johnny's pimps. She is later charged with and convicted of murder. (SVU: "Surrendering Noah")
Appearances[]
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1 season, 3 episodes):