Jury Convicts Man of Sex Trafficking Children, Producing Child Pornography

CINCINNATI – A jury has convicted Ismail Salaam, 36, of Cincinnati, of sex trafficking children and producing child pornography.

Benjamin C. Glassman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Herb Stapleton, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cincinnati Division, and Springdale Police Chief Michael Mathis announced the verdict reached today after a trial that began November 5 before U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Black.

According to court documents and testimony at trial, Springdale officers responded to the La Quinta Motel in Springdale in September 2016 in response to a report of a juvenile runaway in the motel. Officers discovered Salaam there with the 16-year-old juvenile runaway.

It was further discovered that Salaam and the minor girl had been together for the previous three weeks. Salaam paid for food, hairstyling, manicures and clothing for the victim.

Salaam took explicit photographs of the girl and attempted to have the victim post an advertisement on Backpage.com in the escorts section.

Salaam coordinated encounters with at least two men, in which the victim was to engage in sexual conduct in exchange for money. In one instance, an adult male had vaginal intercourse with the victim and provided $100, which the girl provided to Salaam.

In text messages, Salaam instructed the victim to flirt with the men, offer sexual acts, and collect money and marijuana.

Salaam was convicted of one count of sex trafficking children, a crime punishable by 10 years to life in prison, and two counts of producing child pornography. Each count of production carries a potential sentence of 15 to 30 years in prison.

He was charged by a criminal complaint in September 2016 and indicted by a grand jury in October 2016 and January 2017.

U.S. Attorney Glassman commended the cooperative investigation by the FBI and Springdale Police Department, as well as Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Singer and Christy Muncy, who tried the case, and Kyle Healey, who is also representing the United States in this case.