May 14, 2014

Henderson County Man Charged with Human Trafficking for Recruiting Minors to Engage in Commercial Sex Acts

BOWLING GREEN, KY—A Henderson County man was charged today by a federal grand jury in Bowling Green with human trafficking after allegedly recruiting two minors to engage in commercial sex acts announced David J. Hale, United States Attorney for the Western District of Kentucky.

According to the two count indictment, between March 16, 2014 and March 20, 2014, in Henderson County and elsewhere, the defendant, Jathar Williams, age 31, knowingly recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, obtained, and maintained by any means two minor females, who the defendant knew through observation, had not attained the age of 18 years, and caused the minors to engage in a commercial sex act.

If convicted at trial, defendant Williams faces no less than 10 years in prison, no more than life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000 for each count, and a five-year period of supervised release.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Gregory and is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Henderson, Kentucky Police Department.