Rodriguez asserts that many of the human-trafficking stories in headlines, movies, and television cloud society’s understanding of the topic. His latest book hopes to change that by providing a sociological perspective that points to social characteristics of trafficking through the story of Elsa Cuellar. Starting in the early 1990s, it is believed that Cuellar engaged in the sex-trafficking of young girls and selling babies along the Texas-Mexico border. For 10 years, Rodriguez researched the allegations against Cuellar; he tracked down victims, interviewed investigators, and even gained access to part of the criminal underworld that Cuellar allegedly worked in, all to try to understand how she could allegedly commit these crimes for decades and still escape justice. Rodriguez is an engaging writer who weaves the often-incomplete stories and evidence into a compelling and frightening narrative of how one woman manipulated her victims and the legal system. This book will appeal to readers of true-crime stories, but it’s also ideal for those looking for a real-world example of what human trafficking looks like today.

Library Journal

A powerful, well-researched book on a contemporary scourge: child-trafficking. In this hair-raising account, Rodríguez casts light into the dark world of the notorious trafficker Elsa Cuellar, whose ability to transform her identity, falsify documents, and sheer smarts enabled her to elude the authorities for years.

Bárbara Mujica, best-selling author of Frida, Miss del Río and I Am Venus

The US-Mexico border symbolizes commerce, technology, and cultural exchange. However, it hides an ominous underbelly of disappeared women, narco-killings, and arms smuggling. In the spirit of Bolaño, South Texas native Rodriguez meticulously retells the wrenching but hitherto unknown story of a disgraced pastor turned child trafficker.

Jaime Salazar, attorney and author of Mutiny of Rage

A chilling and detailed account of an horrific criminal activity that took years to discover and put an end to, Church Pastor, Child Trafficker: The Crimes of Elsa Cuellar in a Border Town will have a very special value for readers with an interest in white collar and organized crime accounts. An impressively research, detailed, and informative study, Church Pastor, Child Trafficker: The Crimes of Elsa Cuellar in a Border Town is a compelling read and unreservedly recommended for personal, professional, community, and college/university library True Crime collections and supplemental Criminology curriculum studies lists.

Midwest Book Review