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Press Release

Long-Time Sex Trafficker Sentenced to More than 15 Years in Prison

For Immediate Release
U.S. Attorney's Office, Southern District of California

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – March 23, 2023

SAN DIEGO – Kevin Lamont Beal of San Diego was sentenced in federal court today to 188 months in prison for knowingly coercing and enticing a teenage girl to engage in commercial sex acts.

According to court records, Beal has a long criminal past involving state convictions for pimping and pandering from 2012 through 2019. 

A complaint was filed against Beal in April 2021, charging him with sex trafficking of underage girls and adult females.  Beal pleaded guilty to federal charges in January 2022. In his plea agreement, Beal admitted that he transported underage girls and women and provided them to customers for commercial sex acts, which took place in California and elsewhere from December 2016 through August 2018. During this time, Beal used his cellular telephone to entice and coerce an underage girl (while she was 16 and 17 years old) for the purpose of having her engage in commercial sex acts and prostitution in San Diego County and elsewhere.  As part of his efforts to entice and coerce this underage girl, Beal continued to communicate with her by text message and through social media for almost two years.

As part of his guilty plea, Beal also admitted that he recruited, transported, and provided another underage girl (while she was 16 and 17 years old) for the purpose of her to engage in commercial sex acts and prostitution from December 2016 through March 2017.  As part of his human trafficking activities, Beal instructed this underage girl to meet with customers, commonly referred to as “johns,” by walking the street, commonly referred to as the “blade” (an area known for prostitution activities).  Beal also caused online advertisements of the underage girl to be posted on various websites for customers solicit her for commercial sex acts. 

Lastly, Beal admitted he recruited, enticed, transported, and provided an adult female for the purpose of her to engage in commercial sex acts and prostitution from April 2018 through May 2018.  As part of his human trafficking activities, Beal also instructed the adult female to meet customers by walking the “blade” and by posting online advertisements offering her to customers for commercial sex acts.  During this time, Beal used force against the adult female by striking her multiple times in the face causing serious bodily injuries. Beal admitted he used a combination of force and coercion to cause the adult female to engage in commercial sex acts. 

“No city is immune from traffickers seeking to entice and coerce underage and adult victims to engage in sex trafficking,” said U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman. “Today’s sentence sends a strong message that we will continue to work together with our local, state, and federal partners to protect our community’s most vulnerable victims from these heinous crimes by prosecuting their traffickers.” Grossman thanked the prosecution team and members of the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force for their excellent work on this case.

“Sex trafficking is an abhorrent crime with long-lasting consequences,” said San Diego FBI Special Agent in Charge Stacey Moy. “The FBI is committed to the unceasing pursuit of sex traffickers and to the rescue and recovery of the children and adults they victimize. These criminals can only be stopped with the collaboration of our law enforcement partners and the public."

Beal has been detained in custody since his arrest in April 2021.

At the sentencing hearing today, U.S. District Todd W. Robinson not only imposed the 15-year prison sentence, but also ordered Beal to serve a 10-year term of supervised release and to pay a $5,000 mandatory penalty assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act. Beal will also be required to register as a sex offender under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.  Judge Robinson also ordered the criminal forfeiture of a blue, 2015 Maserati Ghibli, $2,420 in U.S. currency, and other personal luxury items by Gucci and Versace.  These personal luxury items were previously ordered as restitution to one of Beal’s trafficking victims in May 2022. 

DEFENDANT                                   Case Numbers: 21CR1565-TWR

Kevin Lamont Beal                            Age: 29           San Diego, CA

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Coercion and Enticement of a Minor, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2422(b)

Maximum Penalties: Life in prison; mandatory Sex Offender Registration; a maximum term of supervised release of life; a $5,000 mandatory penalty assessment pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act; mandatory restitution to the victims.

INVESTIGATING AGENCIES

San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, which consists of:

 

  • Federal Bureau of Investigation
  • California Department of Justice
  • California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation – Parole
  • California Highway Patrol
  • ICE/Homeland Security Investigations
  • National City Police Department
  • San Diego City Attorney’s Office
  • San Diego County District Attorney’s Office
  • San Diego County Probation Department
  • San Diego County Sheriff’s Department
  • San Diego Police Department
  • The United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of California
Contact

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Orabona (619) 546-7951 and Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine McGrath (619) 546-9054

Updated March 23, 2023

Topic
Human Trafficking
Press Release Number: CAS23-0323-Beal