Sex Trafficking2010
United States US
The sex trafficking charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison, according to the U.S. attorney’s office. The transportation charges carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000.
Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
A 30 year old Atlanta man, Demetrius Homer (“Cateye”), was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison on charges of sex trafficking of a minor. According to the U.S. Attorney Sally Yates, “HOMER recruited and enticed a juvenile girl by becoming her boyfriend. The victim, identified in the charges only by the initials “A.M.,” was 14 years old when HOMER met her and began to use a cycle of romance and violence to cause her to engage in prostitution. HOMER hit A.M., threatened A.M. with a knife, and even shocked her with a taser her in front of another juvenile he also placed in prostitution. From January 2009 through November 2009, HOMER took pictures of A.M. and placed advertisements of this young girl on the Internet site Backpage.com to solicit customers. The advertisements listed prices ranging from $60 to $175 depending on the amount of time booked and the location. HOMER would also pay for hotel rooms in the greater metropolitan Atlanta area where the commercial sex acts took place. HOMER even had A.M. engage in prostitution while she was pregnant with his child. HOMER took all the money from A.M. and another juvenile identified in the charges by the initials “J.F.,” which both of the juveniles had earned. HOMER also bonded out “A.M.” from police custody when she got arrested, knowing that she was a minor”.
CSEC2011
United States US
On February 20, 2009, the Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force (“MATCH,”)established an undercover operation at a hotel in the Northern District of Georgia, for the purpose of rescuing minors being caused to engage in prostitution. An undercover task force officer made a date for sex with a girl based upon her advertisement found in the erotic services section of Craigslist. The girl, advertised as “Mya” and 19, who appeared naked in the advertisement, looked underage. Upon arriving at the hotel, “Mya” met with the undercover agent, made an offer of prostitution services, and was arrested. Investigators subsequently identified “Mya” as a 16-year-old child. The advertisement of “Mya” had been placed on the Internet website by another individual at the direction of Pressley. Pressleyknew that “Mya” was a minor, having known the child since she was 15 years old. In September 2008, Atlanta Police were called to Grady Hospital regarding a 17-year-old female who had come to the hospital for treatment. Investigation into the erotic services section of Craigslist.com revealed that beginning in April 2009, a photograph of this minor was located posting sexual services in Atlanta by Pressley. At the time of the postings, the girl was 17 years old.