Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Conspiracy to Prostitute Young Girls

Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan L. Park (619) 546-6760

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – September 20, 2016

SAN DIEGO – Eric Watkins, aka “Crank Moe” and “Cali Made Crankk,” was sentenced Monday to 120 months in prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children in San Diego and Oceanside.

            Between September 11, 2014 and September 13, 2014, Watkins (age 21) and his co-defendant Ricardo Bojorquez (age 24) conspired to commit sex trafficking of two 15-year old females.  Watkins and Bojorquez approached young girls and women on the trolley and used Facebook and other social media sites to recruit young girls and women for the purpose of prostitution.

            In carrying out the conspiracy, Watkins and Bojorquez detained a minor female (age 15) at Bojorquez’s apartment in San Diego, California, for the purpose of prostitution.  They forced her to call her father to tell him she would not be coming home and then took away her cell phone.  She was threatened and told that she was not free to leave and would make money for them as a prostitute.  Also present was a second minor female (age 15) who had a long history of prostituting herself for Watkins’ benefit.  Watkins had his pimp moniker tattooed on the second minor female’s neck.  Watkins, who has served as the pimp for several young girls and women, also assisted Bojorquez in posting online escort advertisements containing images of the two minor females.

            On September 13, 2016, Watkins and Bojorquez took both minors from San Diego to Oceanside, California, for the purpose of making money through commercial sex acts committed by the two minors.  After being told again that she had to prostitute herself, the first minor female, who was present against her will, was able to flee to a bar in Oceanside and called her father to pick her up.

            Ricardo Bojorquez was sentenced to 78 months in prison on April 25, 2016.  Following their release from prison, both Watkins and Bojorquez will be placed on eight years of supervised release and lifetime registration as sex offenders.

            This case was the result of the collaborative work by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Child Exploitation Task Force and the San Diego Police Department.

DEFENDANTS                                            Case Number 14CR3661                 

Eric Watkins                                                   Age:  21                      Hometown:  Chula Vista, Calif.

Ricardo Bojorquez                                          Age:  24                      Hometown:  San Diego, Calif.

SUMMARY OF CHARGE OF CONVICTION

Conspiracy to Commit Sex Trafficking of Children, in violation of Title 18, U.S.C., Section 1594(c)

AGENCY

San Diego Police Department

Federal Bureau of Investigations

            Victims of human trafficking can be anyone, including men, women, children, adults, foreign nationals, or U.S. citizens.  Victims are protected under the law.  Please get help for yourself or a suspected victim from the National Human Trafficking Resource Center toll free, 24/7 Hotline: 888-373-7888 or TEXT BeFree or 233733.  Individuals can also call the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force tip-line at 858-495-3611 with any non-emergency information.  For emergencies please call 911 or the local law enforcement agency in your area.  To learn more, check: www.FightHumanTraffickingSD.org