Law & Order SVU “Once Upon A Time In El Barrio” Recap, Review, Discussion

With Rollins and Carisi spending time in Florida, this left plenty of room to center the story of  “Once Upon A Time In El Barrio”  on Detective Velasco. We learn that he grew up in Juarez, Mexico and is familiar with how the gangs operate there.   His parish priest, Father Daniel, contacts Velasco for help to find three girls, who were going to New York for what they thought were jobs in something like acting or modeling.  Instead they find themselves being held by sex traffickers. Had one of the girls not resisted the traffickers and been beaten and then burned to death, the girls would have likely never been found.  And what a coincidence that it just so happened to be one of the girls Velasco was looking for. 

It was a solid episode that allowed Detective Velasco to show what kind of detective he’ll be going forward.  Up until now, he sometimes seemed slightly detached from the victims.  Now that he’s helped a friend in finding the missing girls,  he had a more visceral response to seeing the results of his efforts.  Hopefully this will help him to be more sympathetic to victims in the future.  Maybe he'll also learn to do what Benson says and not go out as a UC on his own!

The episode was slightly predictable; it felt logical that someone involved in the investigation was a  party to the trafficking.   I didn’t expect it would be the Captain of the 2-9, though. 

Fin seems very comfortable in his role as sergeant, but that hasn’t prevented him from delivering a few choice lines, like telling Kubiak when his burner cell phone rang, “That’s your life sentence calling, dude.”   

Here is the recap: 

Three young girls who want to go to New York to get into acting speak with a woman who can arrange having their dreams come true for $5,000.  When one girl, Valeria, says she doesn’t have that much money, the woman says she’ll see what she can do. 

Later, the girls are in New York, via  a trafficker who takes their phones, IDs, and other belongings.  When one refuses,  she is beaten and then set on fire.  One of them had been recording what happened on her phone.

Benson and Fin are in the squad room, talking about Rollins and Carisi, who needed a break. Carisi is taking Rollins and her girls to Orlando for a couple days.   Fin asks Benson about Stabler  being booted out of UC, saying he has heard nothing good and Stabler is not calling him back. Benson tells him not to worry, about Stabler or her.  There is a knock on her office door and a frantic Velasco enters saying he was talking to his parish priest in Juarez, Father Daniel, who needs their help.  They get on a video call and Father Daniel says three teenage girls in his parish are missing, being smuggled into New York – Valeria, Maribel, and Sofia.   He got a voice mail from Valeria and the girls’ screaming voices are heard.  He has to do something besides pray. 

Later, Velasco explains the call may have come from East Harlem and Fin says all three phones are off the grid. They have nothing else.  Velasco has spoken to the Juarez PD and Fin questions if he can trust those cops, thinking they are paid off or corrupt. Velasco thinks there are a few left who are honest.  Fin gets a call from the 2-9;  they found a badly burned body of a young girl near the East River which matches the description. 

At West 155th Street & Harlem River Drive on Tuesday, March 8,  Fin and Velasco review the scene and the body.  Velasco sees a cross on the body that matches one belonging to Maribel.  He has to call Father Daniel to give him the bad news. There is nothing yet on the other two but they will continue to look for them. 

Back at the SVU, Benson and Velasco discuss the girls and he says Father Daniel also helped him when he was there and got in trouble with the gangs and helped him mom get to the US. Benson says they will continue to work the case and will meet with the captain at the 2-9 tomorrow.  But Velasco wants clearance as a UC so he can go back tonight, but Benson nixes that idea. Fin tells him to go home and rest and Benson tells him that’s an order. 

But Velasco doesn’t listen, going out that  night in the neighborhoods trying to get a lead  on Mexican girls.  He encounters a woman working the street who is an undercover cop and he gets in trouble when he tries to pay her for information.  Velasco tries to explain he’s also a cop but when her captain shows up, the captain explains Velasco doesn’t have the right approval so he has to arrest him. 

Later, Benson arrives at the 2-9 with Fin, and meet with Captain Don Kubiak and discuss Velasco and they meet Detective Rosanny Chavez, who arrested him.  Benson and Fin speak with an apologetic Velasco. Benson explains McGrath is not happy and neither is she.  He says it will not happen again.  They discuss the situation with girls with Chavez and Kubiak and how the girls are worked and how they can find the girls. Chavez has contacts in the community. 

Benson, Fin, Velasco,  and Chavez head to  Senora’s Panaderia to speak with Juana Ramirez. Fin stays outside.  She explains about how the girls come in every week, they do more than cleaning, and they come in with a bald headed guy. She gives them food to keep them going. She doesn’t recognize them. Benson asks them to give them a call if they do come in. 

At the Sky High Motel at 317 Pleasant Avenue on Wednesday, March 9,  they question some of the maids and Velasco the front desk man.   Velasco and Chavez speak with another girl, Lucia,  cleaning a room and she cries when she sees the photos of the girls.  They try to get her to help but she backs away in fear. Afterward, Chavez tells Velasco he was good with her but he thinks she is scared of men.  He suggests she would open up to Chavez alone. 

Back in Benson’s office, with Fin, Velasco explains to Benson about talking to Lucia but could not get information.  She tells him to go back to father Daniel and Juarez PD to see if anyone knows her.  Fin explains the place is quiet now and they might have been tipped off.  Velasco gets a call from Chavez and says Lucia is willing to talk. Benson tells him to tell her they will meet her anywhere she wants. 

They get to the meeting place with Juana who explains Lucia is late. Velasco says he just got a text from Chavez. He sees them across the street and says he will get the door. A nearby parked car pulls out, speeds up, and runs down Chavez and Lucia as they are crossing the street.  Lucia runs off and Chavez lies unconscious on the street as Benson calls a 10-13 and asks for a bus. 

At Mercy Hospital, police and reporters stand by and Benson and Velasco speak with Kubiak, who said they thought Chavez was going to make it.   They introduce Counselor Baptiste,  who asks where are they on witnesses.  Fin says all the girls were moved out of the motel last night and Kubiak explains they are pulling traffic cam footage on every street cam in that area.  Fin and Velasco explain Lucia is a witness but she ran away and Benson suggests she is injured and to check hospitals and clinics.  Baptiste says to get her before the traffickers do.  Benson tells Kubiak she is so sorry. 

Fin and Velasco speak with Juana outside her place where a memorial is set up.  They are looking for Lucia and Juana explains she told Chavez’s precinct nothing, and asks if she can trust Fin and Velasco.  Velasco convinces her she can. 

At the Jimenez Funeral Home,  Velasco fakes and arm injury and says he was sent there by Senora.  The woman he speaks to takes him to a basement room where there is a secret clinic.  He sees Lucia there and he approaches her but she is afraid. He convinces her to trust him. 

Later,  Benson and Velasco speak with Lucia in the precinct, He is fearful and says she owes them money. She gives them their names and Benson says they want to find her a safe place to stay. Velasco says if she helps them find the others they will get them out too. She asks why he wants to help and he explains his priest in Juarez knows Valeria and Sofia and called him personally. Lucia thinks they will never find the others, they are going to be sold to another ring. She doesn’t know where but says maybe the policeman does; a captain, that’s why they had to have sex with him and do whatever he wanted.  She told Chavez and she said she was going to tell Benson. 

Captain Kubiak is at SVU and Benson, with Fin, thank him for coming in. She explains ADA Baptiste is coming in and they are putting together a task force.  He said he was looking through Chavez’s DD5s and asked if they knew what it was about. Fin mentions Lucia and Benson says they hope the traffickers haven’t found her yet.  They discuss Velasco being tied in to the Juarez police.   Velasco enters and mentions they identified the woman who is running a bogus modeling agency and her brother Jorge runs the operation from here,  pimping out the girls.  Kubiak seems unsettled. Velasco mentions a burner cell phone number and that they had a list of numbers Jorge called in the last 48 hours and some were local.  Kubiak states it could be a local gang.  His phone starts ringing and he pulls out another cell phone, saying it is his wife. Benson calls his bluff and says it’s one of the numbers Jorge called a dozen times in the last one, the last one at 9AM this morning.  Fin says,  “That’s your life sentence calling, dude.”   Benson glares at Kubiak and asks if he has anything to say, and Kubiak says, “Screw you. Also, lawyer.” 

In the courthouse, Baptiste tells Benson that he got the judge to sign off on a warrant for Kubiak’s cell phone, computer, and office. They will also run his financials. Benson guesses it is more about access to the girls than bribery.  Fin says there have been multiple allegations over 20 years, and when Baptiste is shocked he still got promoted to captain, Benson says you know how that goes,  the old boy  network and union protection.  The one case that did get filed against him got tossed because of qualified immunity. Baptiste asks about Lucia and Benson explains she is in protective custody and they need to bring her in for a lineup.  Baptiste says they need as much leverage against Kubiak as they can get. 

Lucia is at the lineup and picks out Kubiak.  Velasco takes her away and Kubiak’s lawyer complains this is a setup.  He says they have no evidence but Benson says Lucia can describe Kubiak’s genitals in detail and they can do the full forensic exam now. Baptiste asks if Kubiak wants to get ahead of this now. 

Later, with  his lawyer, Kubiak is in interrogation while Benson and Baptiste question him.   Benson continues to put pressure on him. She then asks how complicit was he in this death of his own detective. But he gets indignant, and he blames Benson and her people for sticking their nose into it.  He says they should be giving him more respect as he can get them to the girls before that are shipped out to god knows where to do god knows what.  Benson stares at him. Baptiste says they  are listening but Kubiak’s lawyer wants to take deal first.  As things get heated, Fin enters and gives Benson some information. Benson then tells Kubiak his “girlfriend” Lucia is 15 years old.   Fin adds Juarez PD is sending her birth certificate now.  Benson says, “Trafficking. Murder – of a cop. Rape of a minor. Captain. I think you should think about what life for a pedophile cop is gonna be like in prison.”  She smirks and glares at Kubiak who looks scared. 

Afterward, Baptiste tells Benson it was well played, but she says she wasn’t playing.  She can’t believe he was even thinking about giving Kubiak any kind of deal. He says his priority is to find the girls. Benson asks if he trusts him and Baptiste says they don’t have a choice. 

Later, Fin and Velasco, with a tech, are in a room with Kubiak and his lawyer, setting up the call to Jorge. Kubiak makes the call and sets it up to make him think he has Lucia and is told to bring her up to Yonkers, he has a buyer.  Kubiak sets up a scenario where he can drive the girls and use his badge for cover if he gets stopped.  Jorge says he is coming with him.  Jorge tells him to get a new burner and he will set up a meeting place.  Jorge hangs up and they lost the signal for the trace.  Fin comments it looks like they are going for a  ride. 

Velasco, posing as a buyer,  is outside a motel in a car with Kubiak and a female detective who is posing as Lucia.   Benson and Fin observe in another car and Fin mentions this is a lot for Velasco. But Benson counters Velasco grew up in with cartels Juarez, saying he’s got this.  Kubiak and Velasco get out of the car and after some positioning and introductions, Jorge looks into the van where “Lucia” is hiding in the back.    Jorge brings out Valeria and he and Velasco negotiate a price for all of them.  The other girls come out of the motel room and they put them in Velasco’s van.  Velasco hands Jorge the money and shortly thereafter, Jorge and his thug pull guns on Velasco and Kubiak and says they are still driving to Buffalo.  Kubiak begins to argue and Velasco pulls  his gun, saying he is NYPD.  The female detective comes out of the van as many more police arrive.  Benson gets out of her vehicle and tells them to drop their guns.  She tells Jorge he can drop the gun or take his chances in court. He drops the gun.  Benson opens the van door to get the girls out and tells them they are safe.  Velasco looks emotional. 

Back at SVU, Velasco makes a video call to Father Daniel to tell them that they found Valeria and Sofia and they are safe.  He explains Benson wanted the families to know right away.  Father says “Bless you” and then thanks him for finding their girls.  Velasco says, “Of course Padre” as Benson watches from the other side of the glass. She steps away as we fade to black.