Sex Trafficking2011
United States US
Case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project. The March. 30, 2011 superseding indictment contains an additional charge against Edward Bagley for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Cook is also charged with two additional counts of using an interstate facility in the commission of murder for hire, and with one count each of attempted tampering with a victim and attempted witness retaliation, all of which are related to an alleged attempt to kill FV between Sept. 28, 2010, and Dec. 9, 2010. Cook is also charged with tampering with another witness, who is identified as “JP” in the indictment. The superseding indictment also contains additional charges against Stokes for receiving child pornography over the Internet and for possessing child pornography. The Bagleys used the Internet and BDSM pornography to train and groom FV (while she was still a minor) to be a sex slave. Marilyn Bagley allegedly modeled “slave clothes” as part of recruiting FV to become Edward Bagley’s slave. Edward Bagley allegedly gave FV marijuana and ecstasy, showed her images of pornography and sadomasochism activities, and began sexually abusing her while she was still a minor. Edward Bagley began sexually torturing FV in February 2004, according to the indictment, when she turned 18 years old and he had her sign a sex slave contract, which he convinced FV legally bound her to him as his slave for the rest of her life. The indictment cites numerous allegations of a variety of sexual acts, torture, and mutilation over a five-year period. Marilyn Bagley posed in photographs taken by Edward Bagley, the indictment says, where she sexually abused FV. Marilyn Bagley allegedly told FV to “do as she was told” and refused to offer assistance when FV expressed fear of Edward Bagley. Marilyn Bagley benefited financially and by receiving something of value from her role in the sex trafficking scheme. If FV attempted to stop the activity or cried for help, the indictment says, Edward Bagley escalated the torture. Edward Bagley allegedly threatened to kill FV and demonstrated to her that he could do so by keeping numerous guns in the home. Edward Bagley shot animals that FV cared for in front of her, the indictment says, and bragged about the bodies he had already buried in the woods behind the trailer home. Edward Bagley also threatened to bury FV alive, the indictment says, and showed her a video demonstrating how he intended to do it. Edward Bagley had FV tattooed to mark her as his property, the indictment says, including a bar code on her neck, a tribal tattoo on her back to mark her as a slave, and the Chinese symbol for slave on her ankle. Between February 2004 and February 2009, the indictment says, Edward Bagley tortured FV on live webcasts on the Internet. Cook allegedly watched live video over the Internet of FV being sexually abused and tortured, and downloaded pictures of FV to his computer. Cook allegedly sent images to Edward Bagley of females in his residence that he beat, bound and tied up to share ideas of how to abuse FV. Cook allegedly used those torture methods on FV when he visited the Bagley residence. Cook gave Bagley a hard drive with sadomasochism and torture videos downloaded from the Internet, including videos demonstrating to Bagley how he could bury FV alive. Stokes allegedly traveled to the Bagleys’ residence and engaged in both sexually torturing FV and watching Edward Bagley torture FV. Stokes gave Bagley steaks, cigarettes, coats, clothing, lighters and cash. Stokes paid $1,000 for Bagley to transport FV to California in December 2006 for a photo shoot in which FV performed sexual acts. Stokes paid Bagley $300 for a torture session, and also gave him money to build a home-made device to sexually torture FV. In addition to the criminal conspiracy, each of the defendants is also charged with one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of using the Internet to facilitate the unlawful activity. Edward and Marilyn Bagley are also charged together with forced labor trafficking and document servitude. The federal indictment alleges that the Bagleys forced FV to work as a stripper and exotic dancer at adult entertainment clubs from June 2007 to February 2009. They allegedly earned approximately $112,200 from FV’s work. According to the indictment, Edward Bagley punished FV with torture and physical and sexual abuse for failing to be a top earner at the adult entertainment clubs where he had her dance and strip. Edward and Marilyn Bagley allegedly confiscated FV’s identification documents, including her state-issued identification card, birth certificate and Social Security card. Edward Bagley is also charged with one count each of using the Internet to entice a minor to engage in illicit sex, enticement to travel for illicit sexual activity, transportation for illicit sexual activity, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence, conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance to a person under the age of 21 and being a drug user in possession of firearms and ammunition. Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, cautioned that the charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
Bonded Labor2009
United States US
This is an alleged case of trafficking released on May 27, 2009. All parties are innocent until proven guilty. Twelve people — eight of them from Uzbekistan — are accused in a federal indictment of luring illegal immigrants to the U.S. to work as "modern-day slaves" in 14 states. The enterprise — based out of companies headquartered in Kansas City, Mission and Overland Park — allegedly employed hundreds of illegal aliens as construction workers and as cleaners and housekeepers at hotels, resorts and casinos in Missouri, Kansas, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, South Carolina and Wyoming. Those named in the indictment: Abrorkhodja Askarkhodjaev, 30, Nodir Yunusov, 22, Rustamjon Shukurov, 21, citizens of Uzbekistan living in Mission; Ilkham Fazilov, 44, Nodirbek Abdoollayev, 27, citizens of Uzbekistan living in Kansas City; Viorel Simon, 27, Alexandru Frumasache , 23, citizens of Moldova living in Kansas City, Kan.; Kristin Dougherty, 49, of Ellisville, Mo.; Andrew Cole, 53, of St. Charles, Mo.; Abdukakhar Azizkhodjaev, 49, a citizen of Uzbekistan living in Panama City, Fla.; and Sandjar Agzamov, 27, and Jakhongir Kakhkharov, 29, citizens of Uzbekistan who recently left the United States. Three companies controlled by Askarkhodjaev also were charged: Giant Labor Solutions LLC, headquartered in Kansas City; Crystal Management Inc. in Mission; and Five Star Cleaning LLC in Overland Park.
CSEC2011
United States US
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.