Chicago Man Arrested on Federal Charges Alleging Forced Sex Trafficking of Four Victims, Including Two Minors

CHICAGO—A Chicago man is facing a federal detention hearing this week after he was arrested for allegedly engaging in forced sex trafficking of two minors and forced sex trafficking of two adults, Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced today. The defendant, Carl Brandon Smith, allegedly forced the victims to engage in commercial sex acts and transported one of the minors across the Wisconsin border to engage in prostitution in Illinois.

Smith, also known as “Moo,” 24, of no permanent address, is scheduled to appear for a detention hearing Thursday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Amy St. Eve in Federal Court. Smith was arrested last Thursday night and first appeared in court on Friday. He was charged with two counts of sex trafficking of a minor and by force, two counts of sex trafficking by force, and one count of transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution in a five-count indictment that was returned by a federal grand jury last Thursday.

According to the indictment, Smith forced minor Victim A to engage in commercial sex acts between August and November 2010, and he engaged in sex trafficking of minor Victim B between February and July 2011 after transporting Victim B from Wisconsin to Illinois. Smith also allegedly forced Victims C and D, both 18 or older at the time, to engage in commercial sex acts beginning in 2011 through March of this year.

All five counts carry a mandatory minimum sentence of at least 10 years to a maximum of life in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force assisted in the investigation. The government is being ­represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Grohman.

The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.