United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the indictment of PHILLIP DWAYNE LLOYD a/k/a “PC,” 43, and RAQUEL MONE BELCHER, 29, for trafficking three teenage girls for the purpose of commercial sex. LLOYD is also charged with producing child pornography of one of the trafficked victims. BELCHER is additionally charged with possession of child pornography. The defendants, who were indicted in May, were fugitives until yesterday when they were arrested by United States Marshals in the Chicago-area. The defendants made initial appearances yesterday in United States District Court in the Northern District of Illinois.

According to the indictment and documents filed in court, between January 14, 2015, and January 27, 2015, LLOYD, who is a registered sex offender, and BELCHER, trafficked three girls in and around the Twin Cities for the purpose of commercial sex. All three victims were under the age of eighteen. During this time, LLOYD also made pornographic videos of one of the minor victims engaging in sexually explicit conduct.

According to the indictment and documents filed in court, between August 2, 2010 and August 22, 2010, LLOYD trafficked a fourth juvenile victim for the purpose of commercial sex.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

If you know of any child who may have been a victim of exploitation, please call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children (NCMEC) at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit NCMEC’s website at www.missingkids.com.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minneapolis Police Department, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United States Marshals.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura M. Provinzino.

Defendant Information:

PHILLIP DWAYNE LLOYD a/k/a “PC,” 43

Coon Rapids, Minn.

Charges:

• Sex trafficking of a minor or by force, fraud, or coercion, four counts
• Production of child pornography, one count

RAQUEL MONE BELCHER, 29

Minneapolis, Minn.

Charges:

• Sex trafficking of a minor or by force, fraud, or coercion, three counts
• Possession of child pornography, one count