ROBERT FRENCHIE MCGRIFF, a 44-year-old Mesa, Arizona resident, has been hit with a serious federal charge for attempting to kidnap and prostitute a minor girl. According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), McGriff communicated with what he thought was a teenage girl on Instagram, falsely claiming to be a pimp. He attempted to lure her to Turlock, California, to work as his prostitute.
McGriff’s operation came to a halt when he traveled from Phoenix to Turlock in June 2019 to retrieve the minor. His plans were thwarted by law enforcement, who promptly arrested him. The investigation was a collaborative effort between the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department and Homeland Security Investigations.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Whitnee Goins and Shea Kenny will handle the prosecution of this case, which is part of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative aimed at battling child sexual exploitation and abuse. McGriff’s sentencing, set for September 9, 2024, could result in a minimum of ten years in prison, with life imprisonment as a possible outcome. He also faces a $250,000 fine.
Under federal law, the actual sentence will depend on various factors, including the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide effort that unites federal, state, and local agencies to identify and apprehend those who exploit children through online means.
The DOJ encourages anyone with information regarding child sexual exploitation to report it at Justice.gov/PSC. This case serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle against such heinous crimes, and the commitment of law enforcement to protect our youth from predators like McGriff.
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Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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