Man Arrested for Sex Trafficking of Local Teenagers

SAN JOSE—A federal grand jury in San Jose returned an indictment on October 16, 2013, charging Jamal Raphael Broussard with sex trafficking of children, transportation of minors for prostitution, and coercion and enticement of minors for prostitution, announced United States Attorney Melinda Haag.

According to the six-count indictment, Broussard, 23, of Hercules, California, beginning in August 2010 and continuing at least through May 2013, is alleged to have recruited, enticed, or transported two minor females using force, fraud, or coercion to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts, knowing that they were younger than 18 years old. Broussard benefited financially by these commercial sex acts. Further, Broussard is alleged to have arranged or induced the travel of these minor victims, sending them from California to multiple states across the country for the purpose of engaging in prostitution.

Broussard was arrested yesterday morning at his home in Hercules and made his initial appearance in federal court in San Jose in front of The Honorable Nathanael Cousins, U.S. Magistrate Curt Judge. Broussard is currently in federal custody pending further hearings. Broussard’s next scheduled appearance is on November 5, 2013, at 1:30 p.m. for a detention hearing before The Honorable Howard R. Lloyd, U.S. Magistrate Court Judge.

The maximum statutory penalty for each count of sex trafficking of children, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §§ 1591(a) and 1594(a), is lifetime imprisonment, a mandatory minimum 15 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and restitution. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of transportation of minors for prostitution, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2423(a) and (d), is 30 years’ imprisonment, a mandatory minimum 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and restitution. The maximum statutory penalty for each count of coercion and enticement for prostitution, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(a) and (b), is lifetime imprisonment, mandatory minimum 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and restitution. However, any sentence following conviction would be imposed by the court after consideration of the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and the federal statute governing the imposition of a sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3553.

Amie Rooney is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Nina Burney and Tracey Andersen. The prosecution is the result of a 10-month joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the San Jose Police Department Human Trafficking Task Force.