Trafficker Nabbed: WA Jury Convicts Man in Coast-to-Coast Sex Scheme

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SEATTLE – Brandon Denzel Washington, 33, of California, is facing serious time after a federal jury in Seattle found him guilty yesterday of running a multi-state sex trafficking operation. The jury returned verdicts on six federal felonies after a grueling four-week trial, finding Washington responsible for coercing and exploiting women for profit.

Washington was convicted of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking using force, fraud, and coercion, plus one count of sex trafficking by fraud and coercion, and four counts of transporting women for the purpose of prostitution, again using coercion and enticement. Judge Richard A. Jones set sentencing for June 18, 2026.

Prosecutors say Washington trafficked at least four women between 2014 and 2021, bouncing them around Washington, Nevada, California, Oregon, and even Hawaii. The jury hung on three additional sex trafficking counts.

The case cracked open thanks to a sharp-eyed retired Bellevue police officer working security who noticed a steady stream of johns hitting a luxury apartment building. That led investigators down a rabbit hole of financial records, travel manifests, and online ads used to peddle the women.

Four victims courageously took the stand, detailing years of abuse – assaults, threats, and total financial control. They testified how Washington pocketed hundreds of thousands of dollars from their forced labor, leaving them with nothing when they finally managed to escape. Evidence presented at trial revealed Washington used the earnings to fund his lifestyle.

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