Female Human Trafficker Sentenced
Defendant Ran an Interstate Prostitution Ring Involving a Juvenile

ATLANTA—Jessica Loren Posey was sentenced today to serve over seven years in federal prison for transporting a 16-year-old juvenile girl to Tennessee, Kentucky, and Ohio for the purpose of prostitution.

“Child sex trafficking is a horrific crime committed by both men and women,” said United States Attorney Sally Yates. “This defendant had no regard for the vulnerability of her victim and lured her into a quick-money lifestyle that led to the juvenile’s repeated sexual exploitation. Human traffickers should take note: You will be found and prosecuted for your role in sexual exploitation.”

“The FBI will continue to make those who engage in human trafficking a priority for investigation and prosecution,” stated Mark F. Giuliano, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Atlanta Field Office. “Today’s sentencing of defendant Posey should provide some solace for those whom she victimized in that she has now been taken off the streets.”

According to United States Attorney Yates, the charges, and other information presented in court: In or about April 2010, Posey met the juvenile girl at a party. While the victim was only 16 years old, Posey caused her to engage in prostitution. To facilitate the girl’s commercial sex acts, Posey used a laptop computer to create advertisements of the child that she placed on websites, including backpage.com; uploaded nude photographs of the juvenile on her cell phone and on a website that Posey created; arranged for customers to engage in sex acts with the victim; and rented the hotel rooms where she caused the girl to engage in prostitution. Posey also drove the juvenile and other young women to various locations outside Georgia to commit commercial sex acts, including Chattanooga and Knoxville, Tennessee; Ohio; and Kentucky. Posey received half the proceeds earned by the juvenile victim and the other young women. Following Posey’s arrest, the victim returned to live with her family.

Posey, 25, of Atlanta, was sentenced by United States District Judge Richard W. Story to seven years, three months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,200 to the minor victim, perform 100 hours of community service, and register as a sex offender. Posey was convicted of these charges on February 6, 2013, following her entry of a guilty plea.

This case was investigated by special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) with assistance from the FBI’s Metro Atlanta Child Exploitation Task Force, including the Atlanta Police Department, Gwinnett County Police Department, City of Marietta Police Department, Fulton County Police Department, Clayton County Police Department, and the Sandy Springs Police Department.

If anyone has any information about human trafficking, they are encouraged to report the information to the FBI at 404-679-9000.

Assistant United States Attorneys Susan Coppedge and Richard Moultrie prosecuted the case.