Category: USDJ Human Trafficking

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

BOSTON – A Pittsfield man was indicted last week by a federal grand jury in Springfield for transporting a minor with intent to engage in sexual activity.

Paul Newton-Irelan, 50, was indicted on one count of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. Newton-Irelan will make an initial appearance in Springfield federal court at a later date.

The indictment alleges that on Nov. 26, 2023, Newton-Irelan transported the minor victim to New York and Massachusetts with the intent that the victim engage in sexual activity. 

The charge of possession of transportation of a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity provides for a sentence of no less than 10 years in prison, no less than five years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.  

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine G. Curley of the Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

MIAMI – On April 19, a local pharmacist was charged by criminal complaint with attempted sex trafficking of a minor and attempted travel to engage in illicit sexual conduct.

According to the criminal complaint and the underlying affidavit, law enforcement officers stopped Stefan Andres Correa, 42, of Miami, Florida, attempting to board a flight from Miami to Bogota, Colombia. It is alleged that, law enforcement officers discovered nine cellular phones in Correa’s possession containing videos of Correa engaging in intercourse with purported minor children, as well as a chat exchange with a suspected sex trafficker, where Correa allegedly paid for commercial sex with children aged between 10 to 12 years old in Colombia. According to the allegations, during the chat exchange, Correa agreed with the suspected sex trafficker to meet with the minor victims once he arrived in Colombia. 

Correa made his initial appearance on April 19. A detention hearing is scheduled for today, April 23, at 10:00 a.m. If convicted, Correa faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison with a maximum sentence of life in prison as well as up to a lifetime of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Markenzy Lapointe for the Southern District of Florida and Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Miami made the announcement.

HSI Miami investigated the case with assistance from HSI offices in Cleveland, Ohio, and Bogota, Colombia, as well as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).  The Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section’s Office of the Judicial Attaché in Bogota, Colombia, also provided critical assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Astigarraga-Little is prosecuting it.

A criminal complaint contains mere allegations, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Divisions Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate better, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. 

To report suspected human trafficking or to obtain resources for victims, please call 1-888-373-7888; text “BeFree” (233733), or live chat at HumanTraffickingHotline.org. The toll-free phone, SMS text lines, and online chat function are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Help is available in English, Spanish, Creole, or in more than 200 additional languages. The National Hotline is not managed by law enforcement, immigration, or an investigative agency. Correspondence with the National Hotline is confidential, and you may request assistance or report a tip anonymously.

To report online child sexual exploitation visit https://report.cybertip.org/ or call 1-800-843-5678. The Cyber Tip Line is operated by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in partnership with HSI and other law enforcement agencies.

To learn more about the National Resource Hotline, visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. To learn more about the U.S. Department of Justice’s efforts to combat human trafficking, visit www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or at http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov, under case number 24-mj-02786.

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Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

Ricardo Middleton, 32, of Boston, was sentenced today to 30 years in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release after a jury found Middleton guilty in December 2023 of sex trafficking a young woman through force, fraud and coercion and obstruction in Maine.

Middleton’s co-defendant, Sherry Jones, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was sentenced today to 80 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Jones had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking on May 23, 2023.

“This significant sentence imposed by the court reflects the severity of the defendant’s exploitation of the victim over three days. He used drugs, threats, physical force and rape to force her to engage in commercial sex for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These acts were odious and intolerable. They denied the victim’s basic humanity. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable and to seek justice for survivors of these heinous crimes.”

“Commercial sex trafficking traumatizes its victims and strips them of their freedom and dignity,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “Addressing this serious crime is a priority to my office. I commend the commitment of the law enforcement team that diligently worked this important case for years, always keeping the safety and recovery of Middleton’s vulnerable victim as the main priority.”

“The horrific violence inflicted upon women by Middleton and his co-conspirators is difficult to comprehend,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England. “He targeted someone battling substance use issues and used this as a lever to control, making it even harder for her to escape the nightmare she found herself in. We hope that today’s sentence marks and end to this traumatic experience as he faces a lengthy federal sentence and a beginning for those he victimized to look forward and work towards a life of dignity and self-determination.”

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Middleton exploited a 25-year-old Maine woman who was suffering with substance abuse disorder and compelled her to engage in commercial sex, using drugs, lies, intimidation, physical violence and rape as means to control her. Testimony provided details of the three days in November 2015, in which Middleton, along with Jones and co-defendant Mathew Thatcher, of Scarborough, Maine, transported the victim to several locations in Maine and Massachusetts. Along the way, Middleton berated the victim, abused her and humiliated her, including raping her and saying he was “going to make a lot of money off” her. The evidence further detailed how Middleton, while detained pending trial, instructed a co-defendant not to cooperate with the government or incriminate him. 

On March 22, Thatcher was sentenced to 44 months in prison and three years of supervised released. Thatcher pleaded guilty on Nov. 17, 2023, to interstate transportation in aid of racketeering and contempt of court. Neither of Middleton’s co-defendants testified at the December trial. 

The HSI New England Field Office, Portland Resident Agent in Charge Office investigated the case, with assistance from the FBI, Biddeford Police Department, Portland Police Department, South Portland Police Department, Topsham Police Department and Saco Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Joyce for the District of Maine and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash and Deputy Director William Nolan of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

Earlier today, a seven-count indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Omari Scott, also known as “Prince” and “Sir Prince,” and Michael Simmons, also known as “Victory,” with murder in the course of sex trafficking, sex trafficking by force and related crimes.  The charges stem from the defendants’ trafficking of women and promoting prostitution with customers in cars, hotels and along a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn known as the “Penn Track” which has operated for years as an open-air commercial sex market.  In the spring of 2023, Scott violently punished a trafficking victim who attempted to leave his control to work instead for Cleveland Clay, another individual who had women working for him in prostitution on the Penn Track.  Scott and Simmons decided to murder Clay, which Simmons carried out by shooting him multiple times at close range on May 1, 2023.  Scott was arrested earlier today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Marutollo.  Simmons is currently serving a sentence on unrelated charges and will be arraigned in the Eastern District of New York at a later date.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Edward A. Caban, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, the defendants conspired to brazenly murder a rival for control of a victim they perceived to be their property in the course of sex trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “This Office is working alongside our federal and state law enforcement partners to prosecute the perpetrators who exploit vulnerable women for profit and we will provide support for these victims who have been harmed.”

Mr. Peace also expressed his appreciation to the New York City Department of Corrections, the New York City Human Resources Administration, the Kings County District Attorney’s Office and the New York County District Attorney’s Office for their valuable assistance with the case.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith said, “Human lives are not pawns for criminals to manipulate for their own cruel wishes.  Omari Scott and Michael Simmons’s desire to establish control over their sex trafficking operation extended beyond violence against their victims, leading to the alleged murder of their rival. Their alleged actions – sexually exploiting women and conspiring to take a life of another individual – show a blatant disregard for humanity. The FBI will continue its efforts to pursue and bring to justice those who prey upon vulnerable populations with violence.”

“It is unequivocally detestable to compound the loathsome act of sex trafficking by allegedly murdering a business rival,” stated NYPD Commissioner Caban.  “I commend everyone at the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District and the FBI’s New York Field Office for their continued partnership in this case. The NYPD and our colleagues remain steadfast in holding accountable anyone who seeks to profit from the abuse and exploitation of others.”

As alleged in court documents, Scott and Simmons both recruited women to work in prostitution on their behalf along the Penn Track.  Scott used threats and violence to force at least two victims to engage in commercial sex work and provide him with the proceeds.  For example, in a conversation obtained by law enforcement, Scott warned a victim that he would “knock [her] out for disrespecting me,” and, on another occasion, told an associate on a recorded call that he was “beating this b—- up tonight” for failing to work quickly enough to locate customers. 

On April 30, 2023, when Scott learned that a victim planned to leave him and work with Clay, he was captured on video violently dragging the victim by her hair into his car, and later told an associate on a recorded call, “I’m bout to violate that b—-. . .  I’m about to do her something crazy. . . I’m not respecting this shit. . . . I’m about to kill this b—-!”  Early the next morning, Scott and Simmons were captured on video engaged in a heated argument with Clay.  Less than three hours later, Scott and Simmons were captured on video outside of a laundromat near the Penn Track before Simmons walked off to kill Clay in a parking lot, shooting him at least five times at close range.  When Simmons returned, the laundromat video captured Simmons telling Scott, “He’s down. . . he’s down!”  Clay succumbed to his injuries and died later that day. 

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted of the sex trafficking charges, the defendants face a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment.  If convicted of the murder charge, the defendants face up to life imprisonment, and are eligible for the death penalty. 

If you are a victim of trafficking—whether by Scott, Simmons or someone else—and have information to provide, please contact the FBI, which is prepared to help you regardless of your immigration status, at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States Attorney Erin Reid, Anna Karamigios and Joshua Dugan are in charge of the prosecution with the assistance of Paralegal Specialists Anna November and Ryan Costley.

The Defendant:

OMARI SCOTT (also known as “Prince” and “Sir Prince”)
Age:  43
Brooklyn, New York
 

Michael Simmons (also known as “Victory”)
Age:  40
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 
E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-158 (KAM)

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago woman has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for recruiting and enticing a child to engage in commercial sex acts.

In November 2021, JAMARI HODGE recruited and enticed a 13-year-old girl to engage in commercial sex acts.  Hodge took sexually explicit photographs of the victim and posted them in online advertisements offering the commercial sex.  Hodge then rented hotel rooms in Illinois and Indiana to use for encounters with individuals who responded to the advertisements.  Hodge set the prices and collected the payments from customers after the encounters.

Hodge, 29, of Calumet City, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of enticing a minor to engage in commercial sex.  In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold on Wednesday ordered Hodge to pay $180,000 in restitution to the victim.

The sentence was announced by Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Lansing, Ill., Police Department, Calumet City, Ill. Police Department, and Richton Park, Ill., Police Department.  The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Kelly.

If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678.  The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

BROOKLYN, NY – Earlier today, an indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn charging Joel David Forney, also known as “Sirbar,” with three counts of sex trafficking, Mann Act transportation for purposes of commercial sex and coercion and enticement of a minor.  The charges in the indictment arise from the defendant’s trafficking of women to work as prostitutes in New York, including along an open-air sex trafficking market on a stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue in Brooklyn, New York known as the Penn Track, as well as the defendant’s alleged transportation of women from New York to multiple other states, including Connecticut and Missouri, with the intent that they engage in commercial sex for his financial benefit. The charges also arise from the defendant’s alleged rape of a teenage girl in 2014.  Forney was arrested this morning in Kissimmee, Florida and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in the Middle District of Florida.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Kristen M. Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights at the Justice Department, and James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), announced the arrest and charges.

“As alleged, the defendant raped a minor, and preyed on vulnerable women to sell their bodies for his own profit, while subjecting them to constant acts and threats of violence,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “With today’s arrest, this Office seeks to hold Forney accountable for his cruel and depraved crimes.  We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to eradicate the degradation of women forced into sex work at the Penn Track and elsewhere in the district.”

“These charges represent the darkest side of the criminal world. Not only did Joel Forney allegedly force several victims into commercial sex trafficking through repeated violence and death threats, but he also allegedly raped a female minor victim after luring her into his residence. Today’s arrest affirms the FBI’s promise to investigate those who commit such heinous crimes, and ensure they are brought to justice,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.

As alleged in court filings, between at least the summer of 2016 and continuing through at least 2022, Forney trafficked women to engage in commercial sex in Brooklyn, New York and in other states through force, fraud and coercion for his financial benefit.  The defendant trafficked his victims both in hotel rooms and on Pennsylvania Avenue in East New York, Brooklyn, a notorious location for commercial sex known as the Penn Track.  The defendant subjected the victims to his total control and forced them to adhere to a list of rules designed to maximize his profits and minimize their resistance. When his victims disobeyed his directives, he used physical violence, and sometimes death threats, as a form of punishment.

Forney allegedly began trafficking Jane Doe #1 in the summer of 2016, when he lured her to travel from her home in Wisconsin to New York City with false promises of a legitimate job offer.  When Jane Doe #1 arrived, he brought her to a hotel where he raped her and threatened her with violence.  He then photographed her and posted advertisements on the internet using her photo to promote commercial sex.  For the next several months, the defendant trafficked Jane Doe #1, bringing her to hotels in New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts and other locations, where he compelled her to engage in commercial sex.  The defendant retained the majority of the proceeds of her commercial sex work.  If Jane Doe #1 failed to earn enough money or acted in a way that he viewed as disrespectful, he would slap, punch, or sexually assault her.  He routinely threatened to kill Jane Doe #1. On one occasion, he showed Jane Doe #1 a photograph on his phone of a dismembered woman and told her that “this is what happens to bi—–s who leave their pimps.” 

Forney began trafficking Jane Doe #2 in October 2017 at the Penn Track and in other states where he forced her to perform commercial sex for his financial benefit.  As was the case with Jane Doe #1, Forney kept the majority of the financial proceeds of Jane Doe #2’s work. Forney would beat her if she violated his rules. On one occasion, angered by Jane Doe #2’s perceived disobedience, Forney punched her in the face, breaking her front tooth. 

Forney trafficked a third victim, Jane Doe #3, beginning in May 2017.  As with Jane Doe #2, the defendant compelled Jane Doe #3 to work in commercial sex largely on the Penn Track, and kept most of her earnings.  Like all the women the defendant trafficked, Jane Doe #3 was instructed to strictly adhere to the defendant’s rules, and any acts of disobedience were met with violence and threats. 

In addition to sex trafficking, Forney also engaged in sexually predatory conduct directed at a minor.  Specifically, in June 2014, when Forney was 31-years-old, he encountered Jane Doe #4, who was then 14 years-old, walking home in Queens.  He told her she was pretty; she told him her age.  After exchanging contact information, the defendant continued to communicate with the girl—regularly telling her she was beautiful—before inviting her to his home where he raped her. 

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.  If convicted, Forney faces a minimum term of 15 years in prison, and up to life imprisonment.

If you are a victim of trafficking—whether by Forney or someone else—and have information to provide, please contact the FBI, which is prepared to help you regardless of your immigration status, at tips.fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Civil Rights Section.  Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren Elbert and Antoinette N. Rangel and Trial Attorney Leah Branch of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

JOEL DAVID FORNEY (also known as “Sirbar”)
Age:  41
Kissimmee, Florida

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 24-CR-146 (KAM)

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

BILLINGS — A Wyoming man convicted for his role in arranging for commercial sex in Billings and then lying to federal investigators was sentenced today to one year of probation and fined $7,500, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.

On Feb. 20, U.S. District Judge Susan P. Watters found the defendant, Mark Jay Albrecht, 66, of Gillette, Wyoming, guilty of use of facility in interstate commerce in aid of racketeering and making a false statement following a one-day bench trial. Judge Watters presided at sentencing.

In court documents and at trial, the government alleged that on April 21, 2021, law enforcement responded to a report of possible commercial sex activity at a Billings motel. Billings police officers knocked on the door of the suspect room and announced themselves. A woman, identified as Ashley Stella, of Reno, Nevada, Jane Doe 1, who was a minor at the time, and Albrecht emerged. Albrecht was seen buttoning up his shirt as he exited the room. Albrecht initially denied to police and FBI officers that he was in the room for a sexual encounter and offered various stories about why he was there. Ultimately, Albrecht acknowledged going to the room to engage in commercial sex and using a social media website and his cell phone to arrange for commercial sex. Stella acknowledged in interviews that Albrecht was in the room for commercial sex, and that Jane Doe 1 traveled with her for the purpose of commercial sex. Following the events of April 21, 2021, law enforcement began a federal sex trafficking investigation.

As part of the federal investigation, Albrecht arrived for an interview with law enforcement in May 2021 and repeatedly stated that he did not go to the motel for the purpose of commercial sex. Rather, Albrecht offered another story about why he was communicating with Stella. Albrecht never admitted he was soliciting commercial sex during his May 2021 interview, contrary to facts known by law enforcement. Stella was sentenced to eight years in federal prison for conviction of transportation of a minor to engage in prostitution.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. The FBI, IRS and Billings Police Department conducted the investigation.

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Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

ST. LOUIS – A federal indictment accuses four St. Charles County, Missouri residents of charges including forced labor, labor trafficking and theft of government funds.

Venkatesh Sattaru, 35, of O’Fallon, Nikhil Penmatsa, 27, of Defiance, Sravan Penumetcha and Nitya Sattaru were indicted Wednesday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis.

Nitya Sattaru pleaded not guilty Monday. Venkatesh Sattaru, Penmatsa and Penumetcha are scheduled to appear in court Wednesday for their arraignments and detention hearings.

Venkatesh Sattaru, Penmatsa and Penumetcha each face one count of forced labor. The indictment accuses them of obtaining the labor and services of an Indian national through a combination of force and threats of force. Venkatesh Sattaru was also indicted on one count of labor trafficking.

Venkatesh Sattaru and Nitya Sattaru, who are married, face one count of conspiracy to commit theft of government funds and 47 counts of theft of government funds. The indictment accuses them of defrauding the Program of Comprehensive Assistance for Family Caregivers, also known as the Caregiver Support Program, which provides financial compensation to an individual for providing care to qualified military veterans. The indictment says the couple conspired to falsely claim that Venkatesh Sattaru, a veteran of the U.S. Army, was unable to care for himself and needed help walking, bathing, using the restroom and getting dressed. They claimed he was unable to drive, complete housework, cook, shop or manage his own finances or medication allotment, the indictment says. Their fraud triggered monthly payments ranging from $1,405 to $4,723 from April 2020 to February of 2024, the indictment says, totaling $83,776.

Charges set forth in an indictment are merely accusations and do not constitute proof of guilt.  Every defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General and the St. Charles County Police Department.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Dianna Edwards is prosecuting the case.

Preventing and deterring human trafficking remains a high priority for the U.S. Department of Justice. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling (888) 373-7888 or by texting “INFO” to 233733. Information is also available on the hotline website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

HOUSTON – A 35-year-old Houston resident has been sentenced for sex trafficking of a minor on the “track,” announced U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani.

Jerreck Michael Hilliard aka Jmoney pleaded guilty Oct. 12, 2022.

U.S. District Judge George C. Hanks Jr. has now sentenced Hilliard to 292 months in federal prison. At the hearing, the court heard evidence that Hilliard had offered to teach another person the “pimp game” who then allegedly turned around and victimized numerous vulnerable young girls and women using violence and manipulation. In handing down the prison term, the court stated that the Hilliard was “every parent’s worst nightmare.” The court also noted that Hilliard destroyed the young victims’ lives for “nothing more than money” and that their lives would never again be the same. Hilliard was also ordered to 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. Hilliard will also be ordered to register as a sex offender. Restitution will be determined at a later date.

“No little girl dreams of growing up and selling her body for money,” said Hamdani. “Heinous things have happened to these victims that ultimately led them into the sights of the criminals who target and prey on them. What Hilliard did was reprehensible. It is no defense that a victim may have previously been involved in prostitution. Today, this victim blaming stops.”

From April 2019 to February 2020, Hilliard and others were involved in a sex trafficking conspiracy occurring on the Bissonnet “blade.” The “blade” or “track” is an area near I-59 Southwest Freeway and Bissonnet Street in Houston where pimps and traffickers commonly place their victims to engage in commercial sex.

Hilliard and co-conspirators recruited young teenage girls and forced them to engage in sex acts with clients for money in cars and hotels around the blade. Co-conspirators also passed around or reassigned victims amongst one another, coached each other on the “pimp game” and forced the young girls to walk the area while the traffickers kept the proceeds.

The victims were not allowed to switch between pimps unless they paid an exorbitant exit fee or were “beat out.” Some traffickers required daily quotas each night from their victims. If the girls did not meet those demands, the pimps and others severely punished victims through beatings and humiliation.

Hilliard will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The Houston Police Department initiated the investigation with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations and the Harris County District Attorney’s Office as a part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance (HTRA). 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.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Bennett, Kate Suh and Anthony Franklyn are prosecuting this case.

Source: United States Department of Justice (Human Trafficking)

          GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN — U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten today announced that Torey Franklin, 29, of Grand Rapids, was sentenced to 26 years in federal prison.  In December 2023, Franklin pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor in 2022.                              

          “Torey Franklin’s crime – trafficking a minor for sex – was heinous,” said U.S. Attorney Totten. “Human trafficking of any kind – for sex or for labor, of children and of adults – is a scourge. We are fully committed to protecting survivors and holding traffickers accountable for their crimes.”

          Authorities arrested Franklin at a hotel in 2022, after he offered the “services” of an underaged girl to an undercover detective from the Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Hours before the arrest, investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) had discovered an advertisement for the girl on an adult dating website.

          FBI agents grew concerned that the girl was under the age of 18. They worked with Kent County officials to arrange a “date” with the victim as part of an interagency, undercover operation focused on combating human trafficking within the Western District of Michigan. That operation culminated in the arrest of Franklin. The girl was safely returned to the custody of her guardian.

          Afterwards, investigators uncovered evidence that Franklin had been trafficking his victim for weeks. Franklin would post ads for his victim, negotiate prices and sexual acts with prospective customers, and then transport the minor to multiple locations for the “sex dates” he had arranged. Afterwards, he would receive payment, often through a popular money-sharing application. 

          “The FBI’s commitment to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking is unwavering, as shown in our nationwide initiatives such as Operation Cross Country,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Michigan. “The outcome of this investigation and sentencing would not be possible without partnerships with our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, and the dedicated men and women of this office. For FBI Michigan, the work does not end here, and we will continue to focus our efforts on protecting our children.”

          Preventing and deterring human trafficking remains a high priority for the U.S. Department of Justice. If you or someone you know is a victim of human trafficking, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week via the National Human Trafficking Hotline by calling (888) 373-7888 or by texting “INFO” to 233733. Information is also available on the hotline website: https://humantraffickinghotline.org.

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