SACRAMENTO, CA—A federal grand jury in Sacramento returned indictments in two separate cases today charging a total of three defendants for various acts involving the sex trafficking of minors, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

The grand jury charged Jeremy Ray Warren, 22, of Vallejo, and Alyssa Tegan Brulez, 22, of Vacaville, with sex trafficking of children and conspiracy. A separate indictment charged Jarrail Lamont Smith, 23, of Cleveland, Ohio, with transportation of minors with intent to engage in prostitution.

According to the indictment returned in the first case, between February 1, 2012, and April 18, 2013, Warren trafficked two minor victims, knowing that means of force, threats of force, and coercion would be used to cause the minors to engage in prostitution. And between April 23 and April 25, 2013, Warren and Brulez conspired to traffic a third minor victim, and to benefit financially from commercial sex acts by the third minor victim. Brulez recruited and enticed the third minor victim, knowing that force and threats of force would be used to cause the third minor to engage in prostitution.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, the Vacaville Police Department and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Beckwith and Michele Beckwith are prosecuting the case. (Docket # 2:15-cr-189 TLN)

According to the second indictment, between August 3, 2015 and August 25, 2015, Smith transported two minor girls from Cleveland to Northern California with the intent that they engage in prostitution. Smith was arrested after the two minors were discovered in a hotel room in Sacramento. One of the victims had two black eyes when she was recovered.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Sacramento Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michele Beckwith is prosecuting the case. (Docket # 2:15-cr-188 TLN)

If convicted, Warren and Brulez face a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, Smith faces a minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. Click on the “resources” tab for information about Internet safety education.