Five Eastern Iowa Men Charged with Sex Trafficking Minors

DES MOINES, Iowa – On May 15, 2019, a federal grand jury returned an Indictment charging five defendants with sex trafficking announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. All five defendants have been arrested and appeared in federal court in Des Moines, Iowa. Trial is expected to be scheduled for a date later this year, before United States District Court Judge Stephanie M. Rose. The defendants are currently in federal custody.

According to the Indictment, Arrion Marcus West, age 25, is alleged to have sex trafficked one minor victim in October and November 2018, and sex trafficked a second minor victim by force, fraud, and coercion, from January through March 2018. West is further alleged to have provided marijuana to the second victim. West is alleged to have enticed, recruited, and transported minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts, and taken proceeds from those commercial sex acts.

Albert Kelly Price, age 39, is charged with trafficking three separate minor victims by force, fraud, and coercion, and with distributing marijuana to two of those victims. Price is alleged to have transported the minor victims to hotels and other locations where he paid minor victims to engage in sex acts, all while in reckless disregard of the fact they were under the age of 18. The Indictment further alleges Price knew that force, fraud, or coercion was used to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts, in that the government alleges Price himself used force, fraud, and coercion on at least one occasion with each minor victim.

Kendall Andrew Streb, age 52, is charged with several sex trafficking, drug, and firearm offenses, occurring between February 2018 and February 2019. Streb is charged with sex trafficking two separate minors, by transporting those minors to hotel rooms, and paying the minor victims to engage in sex acts. Streb is also charged with distributing methamphetamine to minors, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and with offenses related to possessing firearms while being a drug user and in connection with a drug trafficking offense.

Tommy Tate Collins, age 40, is charged with sex trafficking a minor, and distributing marijuana and cocaine to that minor. Collins is also alleged to have paid the minor victim to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing and in reckless disregard of the fact that she was under the age of 18.

Isaiah Devon Patterson, age 21, is charged with one count of sex trafficking a minor victim. Patterson is alleged to have advertised a minor victim for commercial sex acts, while he knew that she was under the age of 18.

The Indictment alleges that all of these acts occurred within the Southern District of Iowa, in the Johnson County area, and elsewhere.

The public is reminded that an Indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless they are proven guilty.

Each defendant charged with the offense of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion is subject to a fifteen-year mandatory minimum term of imprisonment up to life imprisonment. Sex trafficking of children, without the allegation of force, fraud, or coercion, carries a ten-year mandatory minimum, and a maximum term of imprisonment of life. West, Streb, Price, and Collins are also charged with coercion and enticement of a minor, which also carries a ten-year mandatory minimum, up to life imprisonment.

Human trafficking is a crime involving the exploitation of youth under the age of 18 for commercial sex; the exploitation of adults for commercial sex through the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and the exploitation of any individual for compelled labor. Human trafficking does not require the transportation of individuals across state lines, or that someone is physically restrained. Signs that a person is being trafficked can include working excessively long hours, unexplained gifts, physical injury, substance abuse issues, running away from home, isolation from others, or having a person in their life controlling them or monitoring them closely. Victims particularly susceptible to being trafficked include those with criminal histories, a history of physical or sexual abuse, uncertain legal status, and dependency on controlled substances. Individuals who purchase sex from minors or from those who are otherwise exploited for commercial sex are also subject to prosecution for sex trafficking under federal law, if they knew or were in reckless disregard of the fact that they were under the age of 18, or that force, fraud, or coercion was used.

Anyone who suspects human trafficking is occurring, be it a minor engaging in paid sex acts, or anyone being coerced into prostitution or labor, is urged to call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. If anyone has information about these defendants, they are urged to call the Hotline.

The investigation has been spearheaded by the Iowa City Police Department. Investigative support has been provided by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, Coralville Police Department, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The Johnson County Attorney’s Office has assisted with the prosecution. This case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.