Category: USDJ Human Trafficking

Baltimore, Maryland – On January 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Xavier Lee, a/k/a “X,” age 44, of Elkton, Maryland, to 150 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor.  Judge Hollander also ordered Lee to pay restitution of $15,600 to a minor victim.  As a result of his conviction, upon his release from prison, Lee will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). 

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Lt. Colonel Dalaine Brady, Acting Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Carolyn Rogers of the Elkton Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; and Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer.

According to his plea agreement, for the past decade Lee has operated an illicit prostitution business for financial gain, including operating a website, where Lee posted advertisements of women whom he made available for commercial sexual acts with paying customers. That website was seized by the FBI, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Maryland State Police.  For a time, Lee also operated a different website, where he offered a subscription pornographic service to paying customers.

As detailed in the plea agreement, Lee admitted that he had sexual contact with a minor victim, beginning when the victim was 14 years old.  Lee recorded his sexual contact with the minor victim when she was 15 and 16 years old.  Investigators recovered eight separate videos from Lee’s electronic devices, each of which had been recorded by Lee and each of which documented the sexual abuse of the minor victim, depicting the minor victim engaged in sexual acts with Lee or with another adult man.  Lee admitted that he was aware of the minor victim’s true age.

For approximately the five years leading up to his arrest in 2019, Lee’s prostitution business was run almost exclusively out of a hotel located in Elkton, Maryland.  Not only did Lee primarily use the same hotel in Elkton to prostitute women, Lee always used the same room.  Lee ran his prostitution business according to a set pattern and protocol.  Lee posted advertisements of women whom he made available for commercial sex acts with paying customers.  The “profiles” of the females whom Lee was prostituting included photographs, descriptions, and fictitious names.  The website also listed the cost of prostitution appointments, described services that were available, and allowed customers to post comments. 

Finally, Lee admitted that in 2013, including in or about April 2013, Lee also had another minor victim who was sixteen to seventeen years old, to prostitution dates at Lee’s direction.  These prostitution dates were arranged through Lee’s website.  Lee was aware of the minor victim’s true age during the time because the minor victim advised Lee of her true age. 

The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force, which was created to combat child prostitution, with members from ten state and federal law enforcement agencies.  The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.

MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking, while identifying and prosecuting offenders.  Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members.  For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.

United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Elkton Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case.

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BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking and cocaine charges stemming from his involvement in a drug and sex trafficking hub operating out of a tent at Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard (Mass and Cass) in Boston. The defendant preyed on women, particularly in the Boston area and Cape Cod, some of whom he transported from Massachusetts to other states, including New York, for commercial sex.
    
Jonathan Vaughan, a/k/a “Ason,” 37, pleaded guilty to three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, two counts of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Dec. 19, 2024. In March 2022, Vaughan was indicted by a federal grand jury. Pursuant to a plea agreement filed with the court, the parties agreed to a sentence that includes 180 months in prison should the court accept the agreed upon disposition at the time of sentencing.

“Jonathan Vaughan preyed on his victims solely because of their vulnerabilities. He used their circumstances against them and for his own personal gain,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Sex trafficking incidents have been increasing, and in many cases, happen in plain sight. We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to weed out individuals like Vaughan and hold them accountable for their actions.”

“Vaughan preyed on individuals who struggled with substance use, using their vulnerabilities against them to exert control and force them into violent and dangerous situations. We hope that this guilty plea and the knowledge that Vaughan is facing serious federal prison time brings some peace to those he victimized,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “This case is the result of the close collaboration of our partner agencies, particularly Boston Police, Suffolk District Attorney’s Office and The Barnstable Police Department.”

From at least June 2019 through October 2021, Vaughan recruited and trafficked three female victims to engage in commercial sex acts, and in or about October 2021, transported two of the victims for purposes of prostitution to another state. At the time of his arrest on state charges, on Oct. 13, 2021, Vaughan possessed 15 bags of cocaine intended for distribution to drug users.

Dating back to at least 2019, Vaughan systematically preyed on women throughout Massachusetts, particularly in Boston and on Cape Cod. From at least late spring or early summer of 2021 until his arrest on state charges, Vaughan maintained a tent at Mass and Cass which he used as a hub for distributing drugs and recruiting and trafficking women. 

Vaughan permitted his sex trafficking victims to stay in and bring “dates” back to his tent so long as he received the proceeds of the commercial sex acts that the women engaged in at his direction. He recruited victims in and around Mass and Cass and Downtown Crossing as well as on the internet, including over Facebook. Vaughan also brought his victims to hotels in Boston, Chelsea, Saugus, Cape Cod, as well as Queens and Manhattan, N.Y. 

Vaughan forced at least two of his victims to solicit themselves outdoors, by walking “the track” in areas such as Mass and Cass, Broadway in Chelsea and in and around Times Square in Manhattan, N.Y. Dating back to at least 2019, Vaughan engaged in both physical and sexual violence against his victims to manipulate them and to assert power and control over them. 

According to court documents, Vaughan called himself “Ason the Pimp,” has a tattoo across his chest that states: “Pimp or Die,” and wrote music in which he glorified his work as a pimp and the objectification of women.

Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this crime should contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov.

The charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million dollars. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Barnstable and Boston Police Departments; and the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A man has been charged with allegedly trafficking a woman to engage in commercial sex acts, coercing her to travel across state lines to engage in commercial sex, forcing her to assist him in robbing multiple convenience stores in Massachusetts, and forced her to assist in procuring an illegal firearm for him to use in one of the robberies. 

David Walker, 26, was indicted by a federal grand jury on one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; one count of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution; five counts of robbery interfering with interstate commerce, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery; and one count of possessing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence . Walker is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. 

“Mr. Walker’s alleged conduct is horrifying. He is alleged to have callously exploited this young woman– forcing her into a life of fear and violence for his own criminal gain. As alleged, this defendant used extreme violence and intimidation to control his victim, even forcing her to participate in multiple robberies,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This indictment is one of many we have brought against men who traffic women through force, fraud, or coercion. The penalties for such conduct are rightly severe and this office is steadfast in its commitment to protecting victims of trafficking and ensuring that those who engage in such reprehensible conduct are brought to justice.”

“The acts of extreme violence Walker is charged with paint a nightmarish picture. The account from this survivor is heartbreaking and unfortunately, one we see too often from those who are trafficked. Benign romantic relationships can quickly be upended and turned into a relationship of abuse, violence, and coercion,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI special agents and victim assistance professionals work every day to seek justice for people who have been trafficked and provide access to resources to help regain their dignity and independence.”

According to the indictment, Walker met his victim on social media and initiated a romantic relationship. It is alleged that Walker then pressured her to engage in commercial sex and when she repeatedly refused, he became physically violent with her, including by grabbing her, putting his hands around her neck and slamming her into the floor. Walker allegedly required her to make $800 per day selling her body for sex, taking all of the money for himself, and would physically and sexually abuse the victim if she made less than that required amount. Walker’s abuse allegedly included choking the victim until she lost consciousness, kicking her in the stomach, holding knives to her throat and holding a loaded gun to her head. He also allegedly threatened to kill her and her family members if she disobeyed him.

It is further alleged that Walker coerced and forced the victim to travel from Massachusetts to Maine for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex. Walker also allegedly forced the victim to use drugs, including crack, cocaine, mushrooms and Percocet, to make her less able to refuse when he wanted her to engage in commercial sex.

Additionally, the indictment further alleges that, on different dates in October 2023, Walker robbed four separate 7-Eleven convenience stores in West Roxbury, Cambridge, Watertown and Pepperell and attempted to rob a fifth location in Everett. Walker allegedly forced and coerced the same victim to assist him in the robberies. Prior to the West Roxbury robbery, it is alleged that Walker forced the victim to drive him to Dorchester so that he could pick up a semi-automatic handgun to use in the robbery. 

If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact USAMA.VictimAssistance@usdoj.gov. 

The charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of coercing a person to travel for purposes of prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of Hobbs Act robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possessing, using, and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years and up to 25 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting U.S. Attorney Levy and HSI SAC Krol made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Boston, Cambridge, Watertown, Everett and Pepperell Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

LOS ANGELES – Federal and local law enforcement officials today announced a significant collaborative effort aimed at combatting human trafficking and the sexual exploitation of minors on the Figueroa Corridor in South Los Angeles.

United States Attorney Martin Estrada, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto, Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi, FBI Assistant Director in Charge Akil Davis, Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang, and Los Angeles City Councilmember Marqueece Harris-Dawson made the announcement.

The criminal cases announced today involve the Figueroa Corridor – a 3.5-mile stretch of Figueroa Street stretching from Gage Avenue down to Imperial Highway, long known as a haven for prostitution.

The initiative – called the Figueroa Corridor Human Trafficking Initiative – features federal and local law enforcement working together to target human traffickers and those who perpetuate illegal sex work, especially involving minors. This initiative also is designed to help victims – the young women and girls who perform the sex work – to find opportunities and to help get them off the streets.

“The Figueroa Corridor area is ground zero for human trafficking and victims are abused and exploited there every day,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “With this initiative, we are combining federal and local resources to focus on prosecuting more cases federally, particularly those involving victims who are children, and coordinating with our local partners to hold perpetrators accountable. It is imperative that we take an all-hands approach to stop the human trafficking happening right in our backyard.”      

“Often, people think of human trafficking as something that happens only in other countries, but it happens in our own City,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. “This is an issue that community leaders have been working on for decades and today’s announcement continues a commitment to protecting children, many of whom have spent time in the child welfare system and hold traffickers and abusers accountable. I thank our law enforcement partners for their continued work on this important issue.”

“We are so proud of this unprecedented strategic collaboration, with all of our justice partners leveraging their resources. We have made tremendous progress in our efforts to combat the human trafficking and sexual exploitation of minors that has plagued the Figueroa Corridor for far too long,” said Los Angeles City Attorney Hydee Feldstein Soto. “By disrupting the illegal activity and the businesses that have harbored it and with our U.S. Attorney taking the lead on federal felony prosecutions, we are declaring loud and clear that our children are not for sale, and our community will not be a hub for sex trafficking of minors.”   

“In the fight against human trafficking, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office has made significant strides thanks to the relentless dedication of our prosecutors and the unwavering support of our multi-agency law enforcement partners. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in bringing traffickers to justice and dismantling these heinous operations,” said Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón. “Equally important is our dedication to supporting survivors through LADA’s Bureau of Victim Services. Our team is trained to provide trauma-informed care, offering survivors the support they need to heal and rebuild their lives. From the moment they come into contact with our office through to their testimony in court, we stand by their side, ensuring they are treated with the utmost respect and care. We recognize that the fight against human trafficking is ongoing. Together, we will continue to advance justice and work toward a future where human trafficking is eradicated from our community.”

The criminal cases announced today are:

            United States v. O’Neal

Christian Brandon O’Neal Scurlock, 21, of Moreno Valley, has been indicted for allegedly sex trafficking two minors – including a 13-year-old girl – and transporting the minor victims across state lines for the purposes of engaging in prostitution. Last month, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging O’Neal with two counts of sex trafficking of a minor and two counts of transportation of a minor in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution and criminal sexual activity.

According to an affidavit that supported a criminal complaint previously filed in this case, in April 2024, officer with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department stopped O’Neal, who had been seen grabbing a young girl by her neck and pushing her into a Mercedes-Benz.  When the officers approached, they found two minor girls inside the car – one victim was 13 years old and the other victim was 16 years old. Officers saw several condoms inside the car in plain view.

A record check of the girls revealed that both had been reported as missing juveniles out of California. Both victims told police that O’Neal had brought them to Las Vegas to provide prostitution services as minor commercial sex workers and that they usually worked on “Fig,” short for Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. O’Neal required both minor victims to give him the money they earned from prostitution.

Further investigation revealed that O’Neal advertised himself on Instagram as being a pimp. A review of text messages from the victims’ phones corroborated that O’Neal was their pimp and he had them engaged as minor commercial sex workers on the Figueroa Corridor. Also, in March 2024, police camera footage on the Figueroa Corridor showed O’Neal appearing to yell at the 13-year-old victim, take her clothes, and depart the area, leaving her completely naked on the street.

O’Neal was arrested on August 7, was ordered jailed without bond by a federal magistrate judge and has remained in federal custody since then. He pleaded not guilty on August 27 to the criminal charges against him and an October 7 trial date has been scheduled in this case.

Assistant United States Attorneys Kelsey A. Stimson and Danbee C. Kim of the General Crimes Section and Kathy Yu, Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review, are prosecuting this case.

            United States v. Castillo, et al.

Nanci Jasmin Castillo, 31, and Jonathan Gonzalez-Reyes, 38, both of Anaheim, are charged in a six-count federal grand jury indictment alleging they befriended a 13-year-old girl, provided her with alcohol, and sexually assaulted her, taking photographs and making videos of the attack.

According to court documents, Castillo befriended a 13-year-old identified in court documents as “Victim 1.” In February 2021 at Castillo’s Anaheim home, Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes allegedly sexually assaulted the victim – to whom Castillo had given an alcoholic beverage after the victim previously had taken Xanax anti-anxiety medication – while the victim was going in and out of consciousness. The defendants photographed and made videos of the attack.

A search of Gonzalez-Reyes’ phone and Castillo’s iCloud account by law enforcement revealed the existence of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) depicting the victim and the defendants. Additionally, law enforcement found evidence that Gonzalez-Reyes sent copies of the CSAM to Castillo.

Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes discussed helping the victim run away from home and possibly trying to find her work on “Fig,” a common reference for the Figueroa Corridor, according to court documents.

Both defendants are charged with one count of production of child pornography. Castillo is further charged with one count of the use of a facility of interstate commerce to attempt to induce a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of possession of child pornography. Gonzalez-Reyes also is charged with two counts of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Castillo and Gonzalez-Reyes have pleaded not guilty to charges and are scheduled to go to trial in March 2025. They have been in federal custody since June 2024.

Assistant United States Attorneys Claire E. Kelly and Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section are prosecuting this case.

            United States v. Bradford

Donavin Dwayne Bradford, 33, of South Los Angeles, is serving sentence of life in federal prison after being convicted of recruiting and enticing teenage girls for whom he acted as a “pimp” and providing them for commercial sex work.

From the summer of 2021 to February 2022, Bradford caused one of the minor victims – a then-15-year-old girl – to be used for commercial sex acts. Bradford recruited the victim to work for him as a commercial sex worker. As the victim’s “pimp,” Bradford expected the girl to earn him $1,000 per night.

Bradford advertised the girl for commercial sex work on various websites, and customers who responded to the ads were directed to various hotels and motels where they engaged in commercial sex acts with the victim. Sometimes the minor victim would be required to perform sex acts. Customers paid Bradford for “dates” with the victim or she would be required to give Bradford her earnings.

Bradford assaulted the minor victim when she tried to stop working for him on two separate occasions. Bradford also filmed himself engaging in sex acts on two separate occasions with her. From March 2021 to November 2021, Bradford recruited and enticed two other girls – ages 16 and 17 – to engage in commercial sex activity.

At the conclusion of a five-day trial in April 2023, a jury found Bradford guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking with a minor, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor for the purpose of producing a sexually explicit visual depiction, one count of possession of child pornography, and one count of sex trafficking through threats of force, fraud, or coercion.

Assistant United States Attorneys Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Kathy Yu, Chief of Ethics and Post-Conviction Review, prosecuted this case.

“Our women, youth and communities deserve better, and this is just the beginning of our focused multi agency effort to stop human trafficking along the Figueroa Corridor,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Dominic Choi. “I am grateful to our federal, state and local partners who have come together with the same vision and tenacity on this topic.”

“The FBI and its partners will continue to aggressively investigate crimes which affect our quality of life” said Akil Davis, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Los Angeles Field Office. “Collaboration with our law enforcement partners is key to accomplishing anything we set out to do. And when we leverage the resources and strengths of our partners, we can do more to protect the American people than we could ever accomplish on our own.”

“HSI’s efforts to combat human trafficking in Los Angeles is most effective with our partnerships with our federal, state and local partnerships,” said HSI Los Angeles Special Agent in Charge Eddy Wang. “The success of our investigations is also highly reliant on our victim-centered approach, where we place equal value on the identification and well-being of victims and on the investigation and prosecution of traffickers.”

Indictments and criminal complaints contain allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Any member of the public who has information related to child sex crimes is encouraged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at (310) 477-6565 or report tips online at https://tips.fbi.gov.