Columbia, Missouri, USA, United States
Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that Gathings, pleaded guilty in federal court on October 12, 2011 to selling a child victim into prostitution. Gathings admitted that in 2009 he recruited a homeless minor to engage in prostitution for his financial benefit. Gathings provided housing for the minor victim, but took her earnings after requiring that she sell herself for sex. After discharging a sawed-off shotgun in his front yard, Gathings was incarcerated in state custody. During this time of incarceration, he continued to sell the minor victim through the assistance of an organized prostitution ring called Aleesha Angels. Gathings had the minor victim provide him with her prostitution earnings to assist him with bond and later to provide him with funding for his prisoner’s account. Under the terms of the October 12, 2011 plea agreement, Gathings is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office. Brandy Key, also known as Brandy Wheeler, 39, of Kansas City, pleaded guilty on October 19, 2011 before U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to the charge contained in a March 1, 2011, federal indictment. By pleading guilty, Key admitted that she operated a prostitution ring that assisted and profited from the coerced sex trafficking of a child. Key handled the minor victim while Gathings was in custody and sold her for sex on his behalf. This included, but was not limited to, scheduling her appointments with customers and advertising her for sex acts on the Internet. Under the terms of today’s binding plea agreement, Key is subject to a minimum sentence of three years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing for Key will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.