Sex Trafficker Convicted

BATON ROUGE, LA – Acting United States Attorney Corey R. Amundson announced that UDRAKA ROBERTS-BEY, age 26, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Shelly D. Dick to conspiring to engage in sex trafficking of a minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1594(c).

During yesterday’s guilty plea hearing, ROBERTS-BEY admitted that, in June 2016, he conspired with others to knowingly provide, maintain, and solicit a 15-year-old to engage in commercial sex acts. He specifically admitted to having arranged on multiple occasions for the minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts with individuals who offered to pay for the sex acts. He also admitted to transporting the minor victim from Baton Rouge to New Orleans and then back to Baton Rouge to make the minor victim available to engage in commercial sex acts.

A federal grand jury indicted ROBERTS-BEY in July 2016. The indictment resulted from a coordinated federal, state, and local law enforcement operation involving representatives of the Middle District of Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force who had identified ROBERTS-BEY’s prostitution enterprise and successfully rescued the victim from a Baton Rouge hotel.

Acting U.S. Attorney Amundson stated, “Human trafficking serves as a reminder of the evil and dangers that exist in our world. Predators who engage in such activity in this district should count on facing the unrelenting and aggressive attention of my office, state prosecutors, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and our other federal, state, and local law enforcement partners. Through the Middle District of Louisiana Human Trafficking Task Force, our coordinated efforts will continue to focus on rescuing victims and ensuring that justice is done in whatever venue – federal or state – will ensure the most appropriate outcome.”

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Jeff Sallet stated, “Human trafficking, particularly involving juveniles, is a heinous crime targeting the most vulnerable among us. The FBI will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to identify, target and stop those engaged in exploiting children.”

This matter is being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the FBI New Orleans Division, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police, with assistance from the East Baton Rouge District Attorney’s Office and U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.