A man from Dallas, Texas, will spend the next 326 months in a federal prison following his conviction and sentencing for sex trafficking a young woman with known diminished mental capacities.
Kenneth Laray White, 26, was convicted in March 2015 on one count of using interstate commerce in aid of a racketeering enterprise, and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. His brother, Damion Kentrell White, 24 has also pleaded guilty and is currently awaiting sentencing. A third person, Mecose Mendale Shorter, 31, is scheduled for trial next month for her alleged role in trafficking the victim.
The victim in this case, referred to in court documents as Victim M.S., was fifteen when she became known to the two men who have now been convicted of enticing her into performing commercial sex acts, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office obtained by Breitbart Texas. After the girl turned 18, the two men devised a scheme to “recruit her to engage in commercial sex acts for them by taking advantage of her diminished mental capacity.” Damion White established a friendship with M.S. in 2013 and then, using false pretenses, convinced her to leave her home with him.
Over a period of about six weeks, the two men took provocative pictures of M.S. They used the pictures to advertise her on the internet for commercial sexual acts. Kenneth White eventually had sex with the victim and the two men coerced her into performing commercial sex acts by depriving her of food and refusing her requests to leave the motel room. Eventually she agreed to perform the commercial sex acts with other men who responded to the internet based advertisements.
M.S. would engage in the commercial sex acts and then turn over all of the money to Kenneth White.
The Dallas Police Department eventually rescued M.S. in June 2013. She was being kept in yet another motel room against her will.
In February 2014, the two White brothers were arrested on federal sex trafficking charges. Kenneth White was found at his girlfriend’s apartment. He was also found to be in possession and control of a Romar/Cugir 7.62 caliber rifle and three extended magazines. The rifle was found in the mattress during a sweep of the apartment.
Kenneth White pleaded guilty in March 2015. In addition to the 326-month prison sentence, White forfeited the rifle.
The announcement of the sentencing was made on Monday which was also National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. More information about this form of modern-day slavery can be found on the U.S. Attorney’s website. Signs of human trafficking can be found here.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior political news contributor for Breitbart Texas and is a member of the original Breitbart Texas team. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.
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