Craven County Woman Sentenced to More Than 6 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking of Minor

WILMINGTON, N.C. – A New Bern, N.C. woman was sentenced today to 78 months in prison, and 5 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking a minor victim in March of 2022. On August 9, 2023, Brittney Chantel McCoy, 34, pled guilty to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. McCoy is also required to register as a sex offender.

“Sex trafficking of minors is happening right here in Eastern North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Michael Easley. "We have launched two Human Trafficking Task Forces with our law enforcement partners, working tirelessly to identify, locate, and rescue victims and zealously prosecuting those responsible.”

According to court documents and other information presented in court, in March 2022, McCoy was residing with her co-defendant, Melody Faye Nobles-Green, and a 16-year-old minor victim, in Wilmington. McCoy, who was already engaged in commercial sex, began posting online escort advertisements for the minor. McCoy arranged for the minor to see commercial sex clients and engaged in commercial sex dates with the minor. Nobles, who was previously sentenced to 48 months for her role, allowed McCoy and the minor to entertain the commercial sex dates in her home in exchange for a portion of the money they earned. Later that same month, McCoy took the minor to Jacksonville, NC to engage in commercial sex. Nobles was again promised a share of the proceeds but when she did not receive any money, Nobles called authorities to report McCoy for exploiting and sex trafficking the minor.

Investigators moved quickly to locate and recover the minor victim the same day. McCoy admitted to knowing the minor’s age but initially denied sex trafficking the minor. Investigators were eventually able to establish McCoy’s role after reviewing phone messages and other material demonstrating that she posted commercial sex ads for herself and the minor, negotiated rates, and facilitated and arranged commercial sex dates for the minor in both Wilmington and Jacksonville. Although Nobles was initially not viewed as a subject because she had called in the tip to authorities, further investigation revealed her role in aiding and abetting the exploitation of the minor victim and attempting to profit from the same. Investigators also identified and arrested an adult male, Jermaine Linton, who transported McCoy and the minor, and facilitated their commercial sex while in Jacksonville. Linton is facing state charges for his role.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Richard E. Myers II. The case was investigated by the Coastal Carolina Human Trafficking Task Force, led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, Jacksonville Police Department, Wilmington Police Department, and Naval Criminal Investigative Service. the North Carolina 5th Prosecutorial District Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the state case; and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan M. Stephany prosecuted the federal case.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for Case No. 7:23-cr-00022-M-RJ.

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