River Region Times

A federal judge in Montgomery, Alabama, unsealed an eight-count indictment today charging five individuals with sex trafficking and related offenses.

According to the indictment, Kimani Jones, 30, Treymane Lambert, 48, and Aleecia Scott, 27, of Montgomery, Alabama, used force, fraud, and coercion to compel adult women to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. Jones also used force, fraud, and coercion to compel two minors to engage in commercial sex acts during that period. Joseph Keon Bowe, 37, of Notasulga, Alabama, used force, fraud and coercion to compel a minor to engage in commercial sex acts between August 2018 and March 2019.

In addition, the indictment charges Jones with transporting one minor and one adult woman across state lines for purposes of prostitution in November 2016 and January 2020. A fifth defendant, Daryle Gardner, 30, of Prattville, Alabama is charged with transporting an adult woman for purposes of prostitution in January 2020.

An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

If convicted, the defendants face a range of penalties including substantial prison terms and mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; United States Attorney Jonathan S. Ross for the Middle District of Alabama; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Travis Picard of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) made the announcement.

HSI; the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency; Montgomery Sheriff’s Office; Montgomery Police Department; and Alabama Attorney General’s Office investigated the case.

Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888 which is available 24 hours a day seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.

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