Tyrell L. Moss Indicted in Interstate Child Sex Trafficking Case

A Washington man is facing federal charges for allegedly dragging a minor across six states to be pimped out for commercial sex. Tyrell L. Moss, 33, was indicted on counts of interstate transportation of a minor for prostitution, following a months-long cross-country trail that ended in Beachwood, Ohio.

Federal prosecutors say Moss knowingly transported a child identified as T.C. from Washington state through California, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Illinois before arriving in Ohio. The journey, which spanned September to October 14, 2016, was allegedly orchestrated so T.C. could be forced into sex acts for money, according to the indictment unsealed by U.S. Attorney Carole S. Rendon.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, a multi-agency unit that includes the Cleveland Division of Police, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, Adult Parole Authority, and Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police. Investigators say digital evidence and witness accounts helped piece together Moss’s route and criminal intent.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan is prosecuting the case, which hinges on proving Moss’s intent to exploit T.C. commercially. The indictment details stops in multiple states where T.C. was allegedly coerced into sex work while under Moss’s control.

If convicted, Moss faces a maximum sentence under federal law, though the actual term will depend on sentencing guidelines, including his role in the crime and any prior record. The court will weigh all factors before imposing a sentence, which cannot exceed the statutory limit.

An indictment is not a conviction. Tyrell L. Moss is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, where the government must meet its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The case continues to unfold in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.