WICHITA, KAN. - A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment Tuesday charging a Wichita man with sex trafficking, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Gerald L. Brown, Jr., 25, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of sex trafficking of a minor. In a second count, he is charged with sex trafficking of an adult by force, fraud or coercion.
In count one, the indictment alleges that in June and July 2015 Brown recruited a 17-year-old girl to travel from Kansas to Oklahoma and Texas to engage in prostitution. He advertised the girl’s sexual services on an adult Web site.
In count two, the indictment alleges that from August to Oct 2015 Brown used force, fraud or coercion to cause an adult victim to engage in prostitution. He advertised the woman’s sexual services on an adult Web site.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Brown was a registered sex offender as a result of a 2006 conviction in Sedgwick County District Court for indecent liberties with a child.
If convicted, Brown faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of sex trafficking of a minor, and a penalty of not less than 15 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.
OTHER GRAND JURY INDICTMENTS
Crystal Bayliff, 28, Wichita, Kan.; Leslie Elam, 30, Wichita, Kan.; Michael Eubanks, 32, Wichita, Kan.; and Joshua Scott, 38, Wichita, Kan., are charged with drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 5, 2015, in Trego County, Kan.
In count one, Bayliff, Elam and Eubanks are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. In count two, Bayliff and Elam are charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In count three, Scott is charged with using a phone in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Counts one and two: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $4 million.
Count three: A maximum penalty of four years and a fine up to $250,000.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the WaKeeny Police Department investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Tarah Nietfeld, 24, Wichita, Kan., and Joshua Scott, 38, Wichita, Kan., are charged in count one with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, in count nine with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, in count 10 with possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in count eleven with possession with intent to distribute heroin, and in counts 12, 13 and 14 with unlawful possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. In addition, Scott is charged in counts 4, 6, 7, 15, 16 and 17 with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction; and Nietfeld is charged in counts 2, 3, 5, 8, 18, 19 and 20 with unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred at various times during 2015 in Sedgwick County, Kan.
The indictment seeks to forfeit $26,703 in cash, representing proceeds of the crimes.
Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
Count one: Not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $4 million.
Counts two through eight and 15 through 20: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts nine through 11: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.
Counts 12 through 14: Not less than five years, consecutive to other penalties, and a fine up to $250,000.
The Wichita Police Department, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department, and the Kansas Highway Patrol investigated. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Jacobs is prosecuting.
Azucena Garcia-Ferniza, 21, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States, one count of accessory to a crime after the fact, and one count of having knowledge of a felony that she did not report to law enforcement. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 7, 2015, in Saline County, Kan.
If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge, and a maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $250,000 on the misprision charge. On the charge of giving to knowingly giving aid to a person who committed a crime she faces a maximum sentence of half of the sentence for the person who committed the crime.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Jose Alvarez-Galvan, 32, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm while unlawfully in the United States, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition while unlawfully in the United States, and one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 18, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the firearm charges and a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the re-entry charge. Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Luis Antonio Mendez-Perez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Dec. 30, 2015, in Sedgwick County, Kan.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
Octavio Martinez-Rabelo, 32, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. He was found Nov. 3, 2015, in Sedgwick County.
If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years and a fine up to $250,000. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.
In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.