Man Indicted for Forced Labor and Sex Trafficking of Women Forced to Work as Prostitutes in Orange County

A Long Beach man was arraigned Monday in federal court after being indicted by a federal grand jury with sex trafficking and forced labor in connection with coercing women to engage in prostitution, announced André Birotte, Jr., the United States Attorney in Los Angeles; Steven Martinez, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; and Paul Walters, Chief of the Santa Ana Police Department.

Roshaun (aka “Kevin”) Nakia Porter, 36, of Long Beach, California, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 25, 2012. The indictment, returned in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, charges Porter with two counts of forced labor, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1589 (a); and two counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion, a violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1591.

According to a federal criminal complaint filed in federal court following Porter’s April 10 arrest, the FBI was contacted by detectives with the Santa Ana Police Department (SAPD) following an undercover sting operation conducted by detectives with the SAPD’s Special Investigations-Vice Unit in early April. During the sting, detectives encountered five females who claimed that Porter was forcing them to work as prostitutes.

The complaint alleges that victims advised detectives that Porter operates a prostitution ring in the Orange County area and that he meets potential victims by placing ads on www.craigslist.com and www.seekingarrangements.com. The victims claimed they responded to Porter’s ads and believed they were entering into a monogamous relationship with Porter. The women claimed that, after Porter maintained a romantic relationship with them, he forced them to work as prostitutes. Victims claimed they had no means to support themselves and that they lived and worked in hotels in Orange County while they worked for Porter, according to the complaint.

The complaint further alleges that Porter charged his customers between $100 for 15 minutes to $300 for 60 minutes for illicit sex, and that all of the proceeds were provided by the victims to Porter. Additionally, Porter threatened victims by telling them that if they tried to leave, he would find them and hurt their families. The complaint alleges that Porter used physical violence to control some of the victims and that victims claimed to be afraid of Porter and his threats. Some of the victims claimed they tried to run away from Porter and that he would respond by threatening them via text message and phone calls. In one case, a victim claimed Porter threatened to kill her family members if she tried to leave, according to the complaint.

Based on evidence obtained during the joint investigation, agents and detectives believe that Porter may have additional victims. Anyone with information about victims may contact the FBI at 310-477-6565 or the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8501.

Porter was denied bail during a detention hearing on April 12. A trial date was scheduled for June 19, 2012.

If convicted of the charges in the indictment, Porter faces a statutory maximum penalty of life in federal prison.

This investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Santa Ana Police Department’s Special Investigations-Vice Unit. Porter is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Assistant United States Attorney Sandy N. Leal: 714-338-3531

FBI Media Relations: 310-996-3343