Garcia Gets 24 Months for Trafficking Teens

PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Cristian Garcia, 21, of Providence, will spend the next two years in federal prison after being sentenced today for the sickening exploitation of two teenage girls. Garcia trafficked the victims, ages 14 and 16, for sex, preying on their vulnerability for profit. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., and includes a mandatory five years of supervised release following his incarceration.

The case, a joint effort by federal and local law enforcement, revealed a calculated scheme orchestrated with co-defendant Mackenzy Scott, 20, also of Providence. Court records detail how, beginning in December 2014, Garcia and Scott conspired to take provocative photographs of the two young girls. These images were then brazenly posted on Backpage.com, advertising the teenagers for sexual acts.

Numerous responses flooded in to the online advertisements. Garcia and Scott, driven by greed, either transported the victims themselves or arranged for their transportation to various locations across Rhode Island and Massachusetts. There, the girls were forced to engage in sex acts in exchange for cash. The details of the exploitation are deeply disturbing, painting a picture of callous disregard for the well-being of these vulnerable individuals.

Mackenzy Scott, arrested on April 8, 2015, and Cristian Garcia, arrested on March 14, 2016, have been held without bail since their respective arrests. Scott pleaded guilty on September 20, 2016, to one count of conspiracy to sex trafficking children and is scheduled to be sentenced on December 14, 2016. Garcia pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to sex trafficking children and one count of sex trafficking children on May 13, 2016.

The investigation was spearheaded by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with crucial support from the Warwick and Seekonk, Massachusetts, Police Departments. Special Agent in Charge Matthew J. Etre of HSI, Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney, and Seekonk Police Chief Craig A. Mace all contributed to bringing these predators to justice. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee H. Vilker is prosecuting the case.

This sentence, while a step in the right direction, underscores the continued prevalence of sex trafficking, even in seemingly quiet communities. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case, including the sentencing of Mackenzy Scott, and expose the dark underbelly of these horrific crimes. Anyone with information regarding suspected sex trafficking activity is urged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.

RELATED: Inmate Orlando Garcia-Mata Gets 18 Months for Attacking Guard

RELATED: MS-13 Enforcer ‘Chichi’ Romero Gets 5 Years in Racketeering Case