Albuquerque, N.M. — Cordny Henry, 31, of Oakland, Calif., admitted in federal court yesterday to sex trafficking a 13-year-old girl across state lines, caving as his trial was set to begin. The guilty plea, entered just after jury selection concluded, marks the end of a years-long manhunt and investigation into the brutal exploitation of a runaway teen from Bernalillo County.
Henry pleaded guilty to a two-count second superseding indictment charging him with recruiting and enticing a minor to engage in commercial sex acts using force, fraud, and coercion between Sept. 2, 2015, and Sept. 12, 2015. He also admitted to transporting the victim in interstate commerce for the purpose of prostitution. The crimes occurred in both Albuquerque and Los Angeles, where the girl was found after running away from home.
Under the terms of a plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, prosecutors recommend Henry be sentenced to 15 to 25 years in federal prison, followed by 10 to 20 years of supervised release. He will be required to register as a sex offender upon release and pay a $10,000 money judgment. Restitution to the victim will also be ordered. Henry has been in federal custody since his arrest on April 8, 2016, and remains detained pending sentencing.
The case began when the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Ghost Unit launched an investigation after the teen disappeared. The probe revealed Henry acted as the girl’s “pimp,” controlling her movements and subjecting her to commercial sexual exploitation. The FBI joined the investigation, tracing her trail from Albuquerque to California, where she was recovered. The U.S. Marshals Service apprehended Henry in Nevada on April 8, 2016, based on a criminal complaint filed in New Mexico.
Also implicated was Juanita Williams, 29, of Pittsburgh, Calif., who aided Henry in evading justice. Williams was arrested March 15, 2016, and later charged in a superseding indictment. On April 28, 2017, she pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact for providing false information to law enforcement. She now faces up to 15 years in prison; her sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah J. Mease and Nicholas Jon Ganjei as part of Project Safe Childhood, a federal initiative targeting child exploitation. The FBI’s Albuquerque Division and Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office Ghost Unit led the investigation, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals Service. Authorities emphasized the collaboration that brought both traffickers to justice, stressing that no predator is beyond reach.
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Key Facts
- State: New Mexico
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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