Portland Man Sentenced to Four Years for Transporting Women Interstate for Prostitution

Contact: Gail Fisk Malone
Assistant United States Attorney
Tel: (207) 945-0373

Portland, Maine: United States Attorney Thomas E. Delahanty II announced that Samuel
Gravely, 28, of Portland, Maine, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court by Judge Nancy
Torresen to four years in prison and three years of supervised release for interstate transportation
of three women for prostitution. On November 20, 2013, Gravely pleaded guilty plea to the
charge.

According to the indictment and trial evidence, on March 27, 2013, Gravely and co-
defendant, Fritz Blanchard, caused a 20-year-old Presque Isle woman and a 17-year-old Portland
minor to work as prostitutes at a Portland hotel, advertising their services on backpage.com. On
March 28, Gravely and Blanchard drove the two women, and a 19-year-old Portland woman,
from Portland to Boston intending that the three work as prostitutes there. When they arrived in
Boston, Blanchard took two of the women to a downtown street and told them how to attract
customers and engage in prostitution.

Blanchard was convicted of aiding and abetting interstate transportation for prostitution
after a four-day jury trial that ended on August 28, 2014. He awaits sentencing.

The case was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland
Security Investigations, with assistance from the Boston Police Department; the Federal Bureau
of Investigation; the Portland, Presque Isle, Old Town, Brunswick and Saco Police Departments;
the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.