Minneapolis Woman Sentenced for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 34-year-old Minneapolis woman was sentenced on one count of sex trafficking a minor. United States District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery sentenced Kimberly Susan Latham to 132 months in federal prison. Latham was indicted on January 19, 2012, and pleaded guilty on May 4, 2012.

Following today’s sentencing, J. Chris Warrener, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office, the lead federal investigative agency on this case, said, “This case underscores the FBI’s continued commitment to stop crimes against children. Hopefully, this conviction and sentence will serve to deter similar criminal behavior.”

In her plea agreement, Latham admitted that in November 2011, she met two young women, reportedly ages 17 and 18, and invited them to stay with her in her Minnetonka apartment. She then asked the 17-year-old minor to engage in commercial sex acts and used the apartment for that purpose. Latham also used the Internet and cell phones to advertise the services. Because of her sex trafficking activity, Latham admittedly received financial benefit.

This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Minnetonka Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David P. Steinkamp.

In 2012, Yuri Fedotov, the head of the United Nations’ Office on Drugs and Crime reported to those attending a U.N. General Assembly meeting that an estimated 2.4 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking at any one time, with 80 percent of them being exploited as sex slaves. He also said approximately $32 billion is earned collectively every year by the criminals who operate human trafficking networks. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that an estimated 14,500 to 17,500 people are trafficked within the U.S. alone each year.

For more information, visit the FBI’s Human Trafficking webpage.