Compton man Darrius Marques Sutton, 26, known as “Biz,” was sentenced to 160 months in federal prison for sex trafficking a 15-year-old girl, subjecting her to a month of violent sexual assaults and advertising her as a prostitute online. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr., reflects the brutality and predatory nature of Sutton’s crimes, which included filming the abuse — sometimes while laughing — and using a vodka bottle during one attack.
Sutton pleaded guilty in June to one count of sex trafficking of a child, admitting to a five-month crime spree in 2011 during which he posted at least 60 ads on Backpage.com, some offering minor girls for sex. Prosecutors detailed how Sutton repeatedly raped the teen, recorded the assaults, and even filmed himself punching a young woman in the face so hard it broke her nose. “This defendant’s conduct was horrific,” stated U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker. “He filmed the assaults — at times laughing during the attacks.”
According to court filings, Sutton took pleasure in breaking his victims into a ‘stable of prostitutes,’ using violence and humiliation to control them. The federal case followed a state prosecution where Sutton was convicted of conspiracy to pimp a minor and sentenced to 52 months in prison. Judge Hatter noted he would have imposed a longer sentence had Sutton not already served time on related charges.
Sutton is one of four men indicted in August 2015 by a federal grand jury. Darius Dajohn Burks, 28, of Los Angeles, and Edwin Donnell Franklin, 29, of Bellflower, have both pleaded guilty earlier this year. Leprinston Dewon Burks, also known as “Dapper P” and “Pete Williams,” 32, of Carson, is set to stand trial before Judge Hatter on March 28.
The investigation was led by the FBI’s Innocence Lost Task Force and the Los Angeles Police Department’s Detective Support and Vice Division, Human Trafficking Unit. Agents uncovered disturbing digital evidence, including videos of assaults and online postings that exposed the network of exploitation Sutton operated with the other defendants.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David M. Herzog of the Violent and Organized Crime Section and Jennie L. Wang of the Cyber and Intellectual Property Crimes Section. Federal authorities emphasized that exploiting minors for sex and profiting from their abuse will be met with the full force of the law — especially when the crimes are both filmed and flaunted online.
Related Federal Cases
- Tyrell L. Moss Indicted in Interstate Child Sex Trafficking Case · Washington
- Cordny Henry Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking in NM · New Mexico
- Stockton Man Pleads Guilty to Child Sex Trafficking · California
- Derek Lamont Terry Gets 20 Years for Child Sex Trafficking · Texas
- Robert Ryan Powell Gets 16+ Years for Sex Trafficking · New Mexico
Key Facts
- State: California
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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