IN THE NEBRASKA COURT OF APPEALS MEMORANDUM OPINION AND JUDGMENT ON APPEAL (Memorandum Web Opinion) STATE V. VASQUEZ CHIQUIRIN NOTICE: THIS OPINION IS NOT DESIGNATED FOR PERMANENT PUBLICATION AND MAY NOT BE CITED EXCEPT AS PROVIDED BY NEB. CT. R. APP. P. § 2-102(E). STATE OF NEBRASKA, APPELLEE, V. LUIS E. VASQUEZ CHIQUIRIN, APPELLANT. Filed August 1, 2023. No. A-23-063. Appeal from the District Court for Lancaster County: DARLA S. IDEUS, Judge. Affirmed. Mona Burton, of Anderson, Creager & Wittstruck, P.C., L.L.O., for appellant. Michael T. Hilgers, Attorney General, and Matthew Lewis for appellee. RIEDMANN, BISHOP, and WELCH, Judges. RIEDMANN, Judge. I. INTRODUCTION Luis E. Vasquez Chiquirin appeals his convictions and sentences for attempted sex trafficking–gain benefit and first degree sexual assault, entered by the Lancaster County District Court. He claims that his trial counsel was ineffective in failing to communicate with him and in failing to depose certain witnesses and that his sentences were excessive. We affirm. II. BACKGROUND 1. ATTEMPTED SEX TRAFFICKING–GAIN BENEFIT Lincoln police officers responded to a welfare check at a Lincoln apartment complex, in which they located two runaway children on October 23, 2020. Officers identified the runaway children as I.S., who was 14 years old, and L.L., who was 15 years old. Officers confirmed that both juveniles had detainers and they were transported to a detention center. Officers identified two men in the apartment with the two juveniles, one of whom was Vasquez Chiquirin. -1- On November 6, 2020, I.S. disclosed to an investigator that she was sex trafficked by multiple men, including Vasquez Chiquirin. I.S. recounted that the first incident occurred in May. I.S. met Vasquez Chiquirin through a mutual friend at his apartment, where he later offered I.S. methamphetamine. After using the methamphetamine, I.S. recalled four men having sex with her, one after the other, for roughly 2 hours. When she walked from the bedroom to the living room to leave, she saw Vasquez Chiquirin and his roommate handling money. They gave I.S. $80 and said she “earned it.” I.S. returned to the apartment in September 2020 with friends, including L.L. Both girls were trying to avoid police because I.S. had a warrant for her arrest, and L.L. was considered a missing person. Equipped with this knowledge, Vasquez Chiquirin told the juveniles that they could stay at the apartment but would have to have sex with men for money in return. Vasquez Chiquirin would call these arrangements between the girls and the men “plays.” Vasquez Chiquirin also threatened to call the police on I.S. and L.L. Between September and October 2020, Vasquez Chiquirin coordinated multiple “plays” for I.S. and L.L. Both I.S. and L.L. told investigators that Vasquez Chiquirin arranged many of the “plays.” I.S. recalled that Vasquez Chiquirin would drive her to different cities in Nebraska, including Omaha, Norfolk, or Crete, to meet men. Although Vasquez Chiquirin did not require an explicit cut from the money I.S. and L.L. made from each “play,” I.S. and L.L. stated they both provided money …
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