United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner
announced today that a federal grand jury returned an eight-count
superseding indictment charging Shanntaye Ebony Hicks, 23, of
Sacramento, California, with three counts of sex trafficking of a minor;
one count of sex trafficking using force; two counts of transportation
of a minor; one count of production of child pornography; and one count
of obstruction of justice.
This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the FBI’s
Innocence Lost Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional task force composed of
FBI special agents and Sacramento Police officers and Sheriff’s
deputies and Assistant United States Attorney Kyle Reardon, who is
prosecuting the case. Assistance during the investigation was also
provided by the Bakersfield Police Department and the Las Vegas
Metropolitan Police Department.
The indictment alleges that between March 3, 2013 and May 9, 2013,
Hicks recruited, enticed, harbored, transported, provided, and
maintained three minor female victims knowing that means of force,
threats of force, fraud, and coercion, would be used to cause the minors
to engage in a commercial sex act and knowing that they were minors and
would be caused to engage in a commercial sex act. The indictment also
alleges that on March 19, 2013, Hicks made a sexually explicit video
with one of the minor victims and that on March 20, 2013 and March 23,
2013, she took this minor victim to Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada,
respectively, with the intent that the minor engage in prostitution. The
indictment also alleges that between January 1, 2013 and March 23,
2013, Hicks used force to cause an adult female to engage in
prostitution. Finally, the indictment alleges that on May 20, 2013,
Hicks acted to obstruct justice by instructing another person to destroy
an SD card that was relevant to the ongoing investigation and
prosecution.
The maximum statutory penalty for sex trafficking of a minor and sex
trafficking using force is no less than 10 years’ imprisonment and up to
life imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a lifetime period of
supervised release. The maximum sentence for production of child
pornography is no less than 15 years and up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a
fine of $250,000, and a five-year term of supervised release. The
maximum sentence for obstruction of justice is up to 20 years’
imprisonment, a fine of $250,000, and a three-year term of supervised
release. The actual sentence, if convicted, however, will 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, and the defendant is presumed
innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This prosecution is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing
Project Safe Childhood initiative which was launched to increase federal
prosecutions of sexual predators of children, and to reduce the number
of Internet crimes against children including child pornography
trafficking.
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