“Motor City Mink” Sentenced to 35 Years’ Imprisonment on Internet Child Prostitution Charges

A Detroit man who ran a nationwide Internet child prostitution network was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment in federal court today, United States Attorney Terrence Berg announced today. Berg was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Detroit field office.

Robert C. Daniels, a/k/a “Motor City Mink,” 29, of Detroit was found guilty on eight child prostitution and child pornography counts following a week-long jury trial on October 24, 2008. The trial was held before United States District Judge Lawrence P. Zatkoff. The charges included running a child exploitation enterprise, a new criminal statute created by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act. This was the first trial conviction nationwide under that law.

United States Attorney Terrence Berg said, “Today’s 35-year sentence, while severe, fits the crime This defendant recruited minors, photographed them, and profited financially as a result of their sexual exploitation at the hands of strangers.” Special Agent in Charge Arena said, “Juvenile prostitution and child exploitation are crimes against the most vulnerable in our society. The FBI and our law enforcement partners are dedicated protecting the innocent and bringing those who would harm them to justice.”

Witnesses testified that from 2005 to 2008, Daniels recruited at least 89 young women and girls to prostitute themselves on his behalf, including 9 minors (six of whom recounted their experiences while testifying at trial). Locally, Daniels rented hotel rooms in Southfield and in Farmington Hills where minors and adults performed sex acts for money. The Motor City Mink organization also traveled around the country, including Chicago, New York, Indiana, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Florida, and California. Daniels photographed the girls naked and used the pictures to advertise prostitution services on craigslist.org and other Internet websites. At least 2,800 advertisements were posted nationwide.

When recruiting young girls, Daniels demanded that they undress and perform sex acts on him and he regularly engaged in sexual activities with those who worked for him. Daniels was also violent. Co-defendant Stephanie Head — Daniels’ “bottom” or lead prostitute — testified that he repeatedly hit her in the head with a closed fist, then ran her over with his car.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leonid Feller and John N. O’Brien II.