Source: Office of United States Attorneys
HOUSTON – A 25-year-old man has been sentenced for coercion and enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Michael Ramone Hooks pleaded guilty Sept. 27, 2024.
U.S. District Judge Sim Lake considered victim letters and sentenced Hooks to 168 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay $6087 in restitution to a known victim and will serve 10 years on supervised release following completion of his prison term. During that time, he will have to comply with numerous requirements designed to restrict his access to children and the internet. Hooks will also be ordered to register as a sex offender.
At the time of his plea, Hooks admitted to recruiting the 16-year-old victim to engage in prostitution via Instagram, text messages and video calls.
He communicated via cell phone with the minor and lured her away from a known sex trafficker, Antonio Dario Osario-Avelar aka Pressure. Prior to Hooks’ attempt to lure the minor victim away to work for him, Osario-Avelar had caused to her to engage in commercial sex.
Hooks knew the victim was a minor. Law enforcement discovered text messages revealing that they discussed her age. The victim agreed to pay Hooks a “choosing fee,” which is a fee the victim pays a trafficker for them to be their “pimp.”
In August 2023, authorities arrested Hooks and recovered the minor victim before she could join up with him.
Osario-Avelar was previously sentenced to 375 months in federal prison for his conduct in a separate case before U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks.
“This case is a reminder that sex trafficking is happening in our city, even if it is not always immediately visible,” said Ganjei. “This case was, of course, a great hit against this specific defendant, but our larger goal is nothing short of putting the Houston sex trafficking trade completely out of business.”
He will remain in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance and Houston Police Department (HPD).
Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Celia Moyer and former AUSA Sherri Zack prosecuted the case.
HTRA law enforcement includes members of HPD, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Attorney General’s Office, IRS Criminal Investigation, Department of Labor (DOL), DOL – Wage and Hour Division, Department of State, Texas Alcoholic and Beverage Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Department of Homeland Security – Office of Inspector General (OIG), Social Security Administration – OIG and Sheriff’s Offices in Harris and Montgomery counties in coordination with District Attorney’s offices in Harris, Montgomery and Fort Bend Counties.
Established in 2004, the U.S. Attorney’s office in Houston formed HTRA to combine resources with federal, state and local enforcement agencies and prosecutors, as well as non-governmental service organizations to target human traffickers while providing necessary services to those that the traffickers victimized. Since its inception, HTRA has been recognized as both a national and international model in identifying and assisting victims of human trafficking and prosecuting those engaged in trafficking offenses.