Sex Trafficking2009
United States US
According to United States Attorney Nahmias, the charges and other information presented in court: On February 21, 2009, local law enforcement officers, working in conjunction with the FBI, arrested PRUITT and HARRIS at a hotel in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, after agents arrived at the hotel to investigate possible illegal activity involving underage girls recruited to work as prostitutes. At the hotel, the agents encountered the 17-year old victim, whose photographs the agents had previously seen on an internet website advertising erotic services. The FBI believed that the victim, whose advertisement listed her age as 19 years, was a juvenile. While at the hotel the victim agreed to cooperate with agents and explained that PRUITT and HARRIS brought her to the hotel to work as a prostitute. The victim further explained that, after meeting PRUITT and HARRIS on February 20, 2009, HARRIS took nude photographs of the victim at a hotel that HARRIS then uploaded onto the “Craigslist” internet website. Within approximately 25 minutes, HARRIS began receiving telephone calls regarding the victim’s advertisement. Subsequently, PRUITT and HARRIS allegedly caused the victim to engage in commercial sex acts with approximately 13 men between February 20, 2009, and February 21, 2009. The defendants knew that the victim was 17 years old, but cautioned her to state that she was 19 years old. The defendants kept all of the money earned by the victim. The indictment charges PRUITT and HARRIS with one count of conspiring to commit sex trafficking of a minor, and a second count charging PRUITT with the substantive offense of sex trafficking of a minor. Count One of the indictment carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Count Two carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison, a maximum sentence of life in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Sex Trafficking2010
United States US
DOJ Press Release - Feb 3, 2010 ================= Citizen of Mexico Sentenced for Role in Federal Sex Trafficking Conspiracy . http://atlanta.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/pressrel10/at020310.htm . ATLANTA, GA MIGUEL RUGERIO, 28, a Mexican national, lured young women from Mexico with the promise of money and legitimate jobs and then forced them into prostitution and repulsive living conditions. . According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the indictment, and information presented in court: RUGERIO admitted in his plea that from July 2006 to August 2008, he conspired with others to use force, fraud and coercion to cause approximately five female victims to come to the Atlanta area from Mexico and to engage in prostitution for the financial benefit of the members of the alleged conspiracy. . RUGERIO further admitted to transporting a victim to states outside of Georgia, including Alabama and Florida to engage her in prostitution. RUGERIO used false promises of better lives and marriage to lure young, impoverished Mexican women to come to the United States, knowing that he would cause the victims to engage in prostitution upon their arrival. RUGERIO required his victims to engage in commercial sex with many men per night, seven days a week.