Dorchester Man Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Minors

BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Boston in connection with a long-running, cross-country teen sex trafficking operation and ordering a witness against him to be killed.  

Raymond Jeffreys, a/k/a “Skame Dollarz,” a/k/a “Frenchy,” 28, of Dorchester, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 30 years in prison and five years of supervised release.  In January 2016 he pleaded guilty sex trafficking,tampering with a witness by attempting to kill him, and making false statement to a federal agent.

“Raymond Jeffreys devastated the lives of his victims,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.  “He feigned affection, instilled fear and used violence to control these young women.  While no amount of jail time will undo the trauma he inflicted, his sentence demonstrates that those who violate the standards of human decency will face the force of justice.”

“With the identification and rescue of 20 victims in this case, and the lengthy prison sentence for one of those responsible, law enforcement has just dealt a serious blow to those who think they can sell a person in Boston for commercial gain,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre, of HSI Boston. “HSI and the Boston Police Department refuse to stand idly by, and will continue to aggressively pursue criminals who engage in sexual slavery at the cost of the victim’s lives.”

“This defendant preyed on the most vulnerable young women and girls and exploited them for his own selfish gain,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans. “I want to acknowledge the work of the Boston Police Department's Human Trafficking and Homicide Units and great collaboration and cooperation with our Federal law enforcement partners who investigated and prepared to prosecute this case.”

From 2006 to May 2014, Jeffreys, along with co-defendant Corey Norris, and others, trafficked women and minor girls, in Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, and California.  Jeffreys targeted vulnerable girls and women, including those who were poor and homeless, drug addicts, and those who were already working as prostitutes.  Many of the women either had children when they met Jeffreys and became pregnant with his child.  Jeffreys used a variety of techniques to persuade and manipulate the women, including making promises about providing for them and their children, and then only doing so if the women performed acts of prostitution.  Jeffreys used a variety of techniques to control the girls and women, including by threatening the women that he would kill them.  Jeffreys also taught other men how to engage in sex trafficking and worked with other men as “pimp partners” or “p partners” to share resources, such as car rides, hotel rooms, and payment for online advertisements.

During today’s sentencing hearing, Judge Casper stated, “the labels of these crimes do not convey the true harm you have caused.”  After discussing the defendant’s criminal history, Jude Casper said, “I don’t accept that violence has to beget violence.  Particularly where the victims were selected for their vulnerability.  Judge Casper also stated that on other cases, she “struggled mightily” to impose sentences of this magnitude, but today, “I have not struggled so mightily.”    

In January 2016, co-defendant Norris was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 

The charge of tampering with a witness by attempting to kill him or conspiring to do so provides a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and restitution.  Each of the charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of a lifetime in prison,  a minimum of five years and a maximum of a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and restitution.  Each of the charges of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of a lifetime in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and restitution.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney Ortiz, HSI SAC Etre and Commissioner Evans, made the announcement today.  The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking and Homicide Units, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office also wishes to recognize and thank Shawn Meehan, Resident Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations’ Portland, Maine Office; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Aaron Steps, Supervisory Senior Resident Agent in Charge of the FBI Maine Office; the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office; Cumberland County (Maine) District Attorney’s Office; the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; the Massachusetts State Police; the Portland (Maine), Old Town (Maine), Braintree, and South Portland (Maine) Police Departments; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.  This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David D’Addio of Ortiz’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney David S. Bradley from the Suffolk County D.A.’s Office.