Franklin Duo Nabbed in Cross-State Sex Trafficking Plot

SAN DIEGO, CA – Two men are facing serious federal time after a jury found them guilty of attempting to lure minors into the world of prostitution. Conoly Freddie Franklin and his son, Andre Anthony Franklin, were convicted yesterday in connection with a chilling cross-state trafficking scheme uncovered by law enforcement in California and Nevada.

The evidence presented at trial painted a grim picture of the pair’s predatory behavior. Between August 22 and August 31, 2018, Conoly Franklin engaged with an undercover officer from the San Diego County Sheriffs’ Department, believing her to be a young woman with a teenage sister. Over nine days, Franklin attempted to recruit both the officer’s persona and her supposed 16-year-old sister to work as prostitutes in Reno, Nevada. He even arranged transportation, stating he’d secured a vehicle and was en route with his son, Andre.

The sting went down on August 31st, when both Franklins arrived in San Diego and were immediately arrested by the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force. But the depravity didn’t end there. Investigators quickly discovered Andre Franklin had been simultaneously communicating with another individual he believed to be a 16-year-old girl – in reality, an undercover deputy with the Napa County Special Investigations Bureau. He planned to pick her up in Napa and bring her to Reno as well, adding another victim to their scheme.

A particularly damning piece of evidence was a text message exchange from August 28, 2018, where Conoly Franklin, referred to as “Pops,” asked Andre, “Wanna rock with me to San Diego, got 2 on deck.” The prosecution also highlighted that Andre Franklin continued to discuss commercial sex acts with the Napa deputy even after she explicitly stated she was 16 years old. His callous disregard for the law and the vulnerability of the supposed minor is a key factor in the jury’s decision.

“The cavalier sex trafficking of children triggers traumas that can affect victims for decades,” stated U.S. Attorney Robert S. Brewer, Jr. “Thanks to the efforts of dedicated officers with the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force and Napa County Special Investigations Bureau and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katie McGrath, Eric Roscoe, and Mark Conover, these defendants’ devious plans were thwarted in their tracks.”

Conoly Freddie Franklin was convicted of attempted enticement of an adult, a charge carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Both Franklins were found guilty of attempted enticement of a minor, a far more serious offense with a mandatory minimum of ten years and a potential life sentence, along with a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for September 9, 2019, before Federal District Court Judge William Hayes. Case Number: 18-CR-4187-WQH. The investigation was conducted by the San Diego County Sheriffs’ Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the San Diego Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Napa County Special Investigations Bureau.

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