September 5, 2014

Fayetteville Man Indicted for Sex Trafficking of a Child

FAYETTEVILLE, AR—Conner Eldridge, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Doncouri Wells, age 38, of Fayetteville, appeared today in Magistrate Court before United States Magistrate Judge Erin Setser for arraignment on the charge of Sex Trafficking of Children and Promoting Prostitution via the Internet.

U.S. Attorney Eldridge commented, “Human trafficking and child sex trafficking are horrendous, despicable crimes. We will vigorously enforce federal criminal laws against human trafficking, including against those who seek out, promote, and use minors for prostitution. We will do so across the Western District of Arkansas. I am especially grateful for the work of the FBI, the Fayetteville Police Department, and Washington County Prosecuting Attorney John Threet’s office in furtherance of this case.”

On July 31, 2013, a Federal Grand Jury issued an indictment charging Wells with one count of Sex Trafficking of Children and one count of Use of an Interstate Facility to Promote Prostitution. The indictment alleges that from June 2, 2014, to June 8, 2014, Wells benefited financially from providing commercial sex acts with a minor. In doing so, Wells utilized the Internet service of backpage.com to promote prostitution of the minor. The statutory penalty for sex trafficking is not less than ten years and not more than life, not more than $250,000 fine, or both. The statutory penalty for use of interstate facility to promote prostitution is not more than 20 years, not more than $250,000 fine, or both.

This case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Fayetteville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Dustin Roberts is prosecuting the case for the United States.

The charges in the indictment are only allegations. A person is presumed innocent unless or until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.