CSECArchive 2008–2016

CSEC in Denver, Colorado (2011)

A CSEC case from 2011 in Denver, Colorado, United States.

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Documented on the original SlaveryMap (2008–2016). We don’t have a verifiable source on file yet. Know one?

What happened

Timothy Wayne Lee, age 45, formerly of Denver, Colorado was sentenced late today to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn for sex trafficking of a child and aiding and abetting. Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on September 30, 2010. He pled guilty before Judge Blackburn to charges from both the District of Colorado and the Eastern District of California on July 12, 2011. He was sentenced December 2, 2011. According to court documents, beginning in 2003 and ending in 2009, Lee was responsible for the sex trafficking of minors who had not yet attained the age of 18. Lee did knowingly transport minors who had not attained the age of 18 across state lines. Timothy Wayne Lee pleaded guilty in July to two counts of sex trafficking of a child stemming from cases in Colorado and California. According to the plea deal, Lee coerced girls as young as 16 to come work for him as prostitutes and provided them with drugs.Both girls were runaways when Lee met them. Lee, 45, has had a string of prostitution-related arrests, according to his plea agreement. In 2002, he was fined for soliciting prostitution in Denver. In 2003, he was sentenced to 90 days in jail on a prostitution charge. In 2010, he was sentenced to three years in prison in Tennessee in a prostitution case. And his federal plea bargain will result in the dismissal of state prostitution charges in New Mexico. As part of his plea agreement, Lee admitted to advertising the girls on the internet and charging $200 an hour. All of the money went back to Lee.Authorities said Lee also used at least five adult women as prostitutes.

Response and intervention

The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda Taylor In addition to prison time, Judge Blackburn sentenced Lee to 10 years of supervision after his release and ordered him to undergo a sex offender evaluation. This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and its Innocence Lost Working Group, which includes the Lakewood Police Department, the Denver Police Department, the Aurora Police Department, the Thornton Police Department, and the Commerce City Police Department. No aftercare reported.

Nearby cases

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CSEC2008

Denver, Colorado - actual location not disclosed, United States, 2008

United States US

After a two-year-investigation, Denver police said they have busted a major prostitution ring that employed 50 female prostitutes, including children. Investigators found more than $30,000 cash, and the sex trafficking ring was raking in more than $1,000,000 a year since 2005. Police said the ring operated not from Tang's home but from an undisclosed location in Denver. Neighbors noticed that "something" wasn't right with the hours she was keeping. Tang is being held on nine felony counts of pimping, procurement, pandering of a child and keeping a place of prostitution. Police believe she recruited underage girls from other states. Todd Allen Powellis being held in the Denver city jail for investigation of pimping, conspiracy and other prostitution-related offenses.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016

Sex Trafficking2010

Denver/Lakewood (various locations in this area), United States, 2010

United States US

The trafficker was found guilty of pimping a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year old woman, coercing them too charge up to $175 per hour for sex, and keeping most of that money. The trafficker forced two women to pose for explicit photos, which he posted on Craigslist. He then instructed them to charge $150 for a half hour and $175 for an hour for “out-calls” to hotels in Denver and Lakewood. The trafficker’s co-defendant drove the teens to the “out-calls” at motels. The trafficker, who was 19 at the time of the arrest, was charged with human trafficking, pimping, trafficking in children, pimping of a child, pandering of a child, and inducement of child prostitution. His co-defendant was charged with conspiracy to commit pimping and possession of a controlled substance. The trafficker was convicted in 2011 and will serve an 8 year sentence in prison.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016

Bonded Labor2005

Denver, Colorado, United States, 2005

United States US

Young Jo Kwon and his wife Jessie, owners of Osaka Sushi in Denver, Colorado were accused of forcing two South Korean immigrants to work without pay. They have also been linked to the Korean mafia. The two withheld payment from the workers and threatened to get rid of their greencards and have them deported if they tried to escape.

Needs a sourceArchive 2008–2016