Man Convicted of Sex Trafficking a 15-Year-Old Girl
| U.S. Attorney’s Office June 25, 2013 |
ALEXANDRIA, VA—Ronnie Pierre Holmes, 29, also known as “King,” with no fixed address, pleaded guilty today to a criminal information charging him with sex trafficking of a 15-year-old girl throughout Northern Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Lt. Col. Edwin C. Roessler, Jr., Acting Chief of the Fairfax County Police Department, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Liam O’Grady.
“Those individuals who chose to prey on vulnerable juveniles and sexually exploit these children for profit will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said United States Attorney Neil H. MacBride. “My office has made the prosecution of these cases a top priority, and we will continue to vigorously pursue those who commit these unconscionable and vile crimes.”
“Mr. Holmes pled guilty today to the sexual trafficking of a child,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Together with our law enforcement partners, the FBI is committed to tracking down predators like Mr. Holmes to help protect our children from such a horrific crime.”
“Sex trafficking crime will not be tolerated in Fairfax County, and the police department will aggressively fight this crime to protect our great community,” said Acting Chief Roessler. “We thank the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia for their partnership in combatting sex trafficking with us in Fairfax County and nationally. This partnership, along with that of our many federal law enforcement partners, will endure to continue making Fairfax County a safe place to live, work, and visit.”
Holmes faces a mandatory minimum term of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison when he is sentenced on September 27, 2013.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Holmes admitted that he met the 15-year-old runaway outside of her home, and that, within hours of meeting the girl, he had sex with her and started to contact other men to set up “dates” with her. Holmes admitted that he also found sex customers for the victim by posting advertisements on the Internet site www.Backpage.com. Holmes prostituted the victim in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and at various hotels in Alexandria and Fairfax County, Virginia.
This case was investigated by FBI’s Washington Field Office and the Fairfax County Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Stacey Luck and Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Frank are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae.