Anthony Antonio Lewis, Sex Trafficking of Minors, Nevada 2023

LAS VEGAS, Nev. – Another predator off the streets, but 75 months hardly seems enough. Anthony Antonio Lewis, 20, was sentenced today for a particularly vile crime: coercing and enticing two girls, both minors, to travel from Oregon to Nevada for the purpose of prostitution. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Andrew P. Gordon, but the damage done to these victims is immeasurable.

Lewis pleaded guilty on March 7, 2017, to one count of coercion and enticement. The details revealed in the plea agreement are sickening. Between January 22nd and 27th, 2016, Lewis manipulated these girls, promising them a better life – a car, an apartment – all fueled by the exploitation of their bodies. He wasn’t acting alone, though. His co-defendant, Johnny Le Andrew Hudson, 19, also pleaded guilty to the same charge back on February 2, 2017, and received a slightly longer sentence of 87 months on May 2, 2017.

The scheme was cold and calculated. Lewis actively advertised one of the girls on backpage.com, a notorious online platform for prostitution. The money earned through this forced exploitation wasn’t going to help the girls build a life; it was funneled directly to Lewis and Hudson. They preyed on vulnerability, promising escape while trapping these young women in a nightmare.

This wasn’t some spontaneous act. This was a deliberate, planned operation. The FBI led the investigation, meticulously piecing together the evidence that led to Lewis’s conviction. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elham Roohani and Christopher Burton prosecuted the case, fighting for justice on behalf of the victims. While a conviction is a step forward, it doesn’t erase the trauma inflicted.

This case falls under the umbrella of Project Safe Childhood, a national initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice. It’s a program designed to combat the horrific rise in child sexual exploitation and abuse, pooling resources from federal, state, and local agencies. It aims to not only prosecute predators but also to rescue victims and provide them with the support they desperately need. But initiatives like this need continued funding and vigilance – the problem isn’t going away.

The fight against human trafficking and child exploitation is far from over. If you have information about these crimes, or need resources for internet safety education, visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. These girls deserved better, and we need to ensure that no other child falls victim to predators like Lewis and Hudson. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the ongoing struggle against this heinous crime.