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Press Release

Rochester Man Pleads Guilty To Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of New York

CONTACT:      Barbara Burns
PHONE:         (716) 843-5817
FAX:            (716) 551-3051

ROCHESTER, N.Y.—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr, announced today that Harris Hickman, 33, of Rochester, NY, pleaded guilty before the U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford to sex trafficking of a minor. The charge carries a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum of life imprisonment and a fine of $250,000. 
 
Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany H. Lee, who is handling the case, stated that in March 2014, Hickman trafficked a 15 year old minor using by posting photographs of the minor in advertisements on Backpage.com., knowing that the minor was only 15 years old and would be caused to engage in prostitution activity. Hickman also benefitted financially from the prostitution activities of the minor by getting part of the proceeds.
 
The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cyber Crimes Task Force, which includes the Monroe County Sheriff's Office, under the direction of Sheriff Patrick O'Flynn, the Rochester Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Ciminelli, Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Adam S. Cohen, and Special Agents of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge James C. Spero.

Updated April 4, 2016