St. Paul Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking a Minor

Earlier today, a 28-year-old St. Paul man pleaded guilty in federal court in St. Paul to transporting a girl from Minnesota to Illinois for the purpose of committing commercial sex acts. Appearing before United States District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson, Byronte Juwann Reed, also known as Santana, pleaded guilty to one count of the sex trafficking of a minor. Reed was indicted on June 9, 2009.

In his plea agreement, Reed admitted meeting the victim, who was younger than 18, in June of 2008 and recruiting her to commit sexual acts in exchange for money. From June of 2008 through July of 2008, the girl lived with Reed and others so she could participate in the commercial sex trade. In addition, Reed admitted transporting the girl from Minneapolis to Chicago, Illinois, in order for her to engage in commercial sex. Reed also admitted that physical force was used to ensure that the victim would participate in the sexual activity.

For his crime, Reed faces a potential maximum penalty of life in prison. Judge Magnuson will determine his sentence at a future hearing, yet to be scheduled.

This case is the result of an investigation by the Gerald D. Vick Human Trafficking Task Force, the St. Paul Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Minneapolis Police Department and the Chicago Police Department (Illinois). It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney LeeAnn K. Bell.

Following today’s plea hearing, St. Paul Police Chief Thomas Smith said, “This investigation is the result of the strong, ongoing partnerships developed by the St. Paul Police Department’s Gerald D. Vick Human Trafficking Task Force. Working closely with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the task force and its partners were able to successfully prosecute this individual.”

The Gerald D. Vick Human Trafficking Task Force was named for the slain St. Paul police officer who dedicated his professional life to eradicating the trafficking and prostitution of people. The task force was established with federal funds and is comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the police departments of Minneapolis and St. Paul, the sheriff’s offices of Hennepin and Ramsey county, and other agencies.

This case involves the trafficking of a human being. In fiscal year 2007, the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, working with the various U.S. Attorneys around the country, initiated 183 investigations, charged 89 defendants in 32 cases, and obtained 103 human trafficking convictions, the majority of which were for sex trafficking. Between 2001 and 2007, 318 defendants were charged with violating statutes under the federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, which was enacted in 2000.