Lorenzo Young Convicted

Lorenzo Young, 31, and Aundre Davis, 35, of Lima, Ohio, have been convicted by a federal jury of human trafficking charges for their roles in a conspiracy that forced girls, then 14 and 16 years old, into commercial sex acts.

Young was convicted on eight counts, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors, sex trafficking of a minor and participating in a child exploitation enterprise, among other crimes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7.

Davis was convicted on six counts, including conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of minors, sex trafficking of a minor, and other crimes. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 31.

According to court documents and trial testimony, Young, Davis, and their co-conspirators, including Megan Hitt and Randy Thompson, forced the girls to engage in commercial sex acts in Lima and Fort Wayne, Indiana, between November 2015 and January 2016. They took and posted sexually explicit photos of the girls on backpage.com, transported the girls, rented motel rooms for them, and negotiated prices.

Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja stated, "These defendants preyed on teen girls so they could line their pockets with money. Human trafficking happens all around us, on the internet and in the motels in our towns."

FBI Special Agent in Charge Stephen D. Anthony added, "These individuals violated the rights of some of our most vulnerable in our community – the children. The FBI will continue working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively pursue justice for human trafficking victims and to put their perpetrators behind bars."

Lima Police Chief Kevin Martin emphasized the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies, saying, "Human trafficking is a devastating crime that must be stopped. It victimizes people within every segment of society throughout our nation. I want to thank the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office for their help in enforcing the law against those who will engage in human trafficking within the Lima community."

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Toledo office and the Lima Police Department, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alissa M. Sterling and Daniel R. Hurley. Hitt is scheduled to be sentenced on June 1, and Thompson and three other co-conspirators have previously pleaded guilty to crimes related to the conspiracy.

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