Adrian Smith Admits to Attempted Sex Trafficking of Minor

A 21-year-old New York man has admitted to helping run a prostitution ring involving a minor at a Scranton hotel last summer. Adrian Smith pleaded guilty on November 29, 2016, in Wilkes-Barre federal court to one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor, caving under pressure from a joint federal and local investigation.

Smith admitted in court that during August 2016, he assisted others in controlling a minor for the purpose of prostitution. He provided shelter and so-called protection for underage girls while facilitating their exploitation. The operation ran through a hotel in Scranton, where Smith helped manage logistics and maintain control over the victims.

U.S. Attorney Bruce D. Brandler stated that Smith not only enabled the abuse but acted as a gatekeeper—housing prostitutes and shielding the trafficking network from exposure. His role went beyond passive involvement; he actively sustained the criminal enterprise.

FBI agents and Scranton Police Department detectives spent weeks unraveling the scheme before moving in. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Francis P. Sempa, who emphasized that no detail was too small in tracking down those responsible for preying on children.

The case falls under Project Safe Childhood, a Justice Department initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program combines federal muscle with local intelligence to track, arrest, and convict offenders while rescuing victims trapped in cycles of abuse.

Sentencing is pending a pre-sentence investigation ordered by Magistrate Judge Joseph F. Saporito, Jr. Senior U.S. District Judge Richard P. Conaboy will ultimately decide Smith’s fate. The crime carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison, plus fines and supervised release. The final sentence will weigh the severity of the crime, Smith’s background, and the need for both punishment and deterrence.