Minneapolis Woman Sentenced on Charges Related to Transporting a Minor for Commercial Sex

ST. LOUIS—The United States Attorney’s Office announced today that a Minneapolis woman was sentenced to 51 months in prison involving her transportation and prostitution of a minor female.

According to the facts filed with the court at the time of the plea, Jane Doe met Maurice Alexander and Latoshia Norris in the Minneapolis area around May 2010. Doe told them that she was 17 years old, when she was actually 16 years old. Alexander invited Doe to live with them after she was abandoned on the street by a third party. Alexander and Norris bought food and clothing for her and quickly trained her to work as a prostitute. Alexander also gave her marijuana and alcohol. Doe told investigators that Alexander was her pimp, who kept the proceeds of the commercial sex.

Alexander also drove Doe and Norris to other cities, including Des Moines, Indianapolis and the Kansas City area for commercial sex after he and Norris posted her advertisement on Backpage.com. Doe eventually left Alexander and Norris and moved to St. Louis without them. Prior to moving she left a letter for them revealing her true age of 16. Alexander continued to travel the circuit with Norris, eventually returning to St. Louis. Sometime between August and September 2010, Doe met Alexander and Norris in St. Louis and they all shared alcohol and marijuana. The trio decided to post advertisements in Indianapolis for Norris and Doe to solicit for commercial sex. Alexander drove the females to an Indiana hotel, but they did not meet any potential customers, so he drove Doe back to St. Louis and they parted ways again.

Maurice Dontae Alexander and Latoshia Norris, both of Minneapolis, MN, each pled guilty in June to one felony count of enticement to engage in prostitution before United States District Judge Jean C. Hamilton. Norris was sentenced today. Alexander was sentenced on September 9 to 72 months in prison, followed by supervised release for life.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the St. Louis County Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Noelle Collins is handling the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.