Cunigan Admits to Brutal Sex Trafficking of Minor

WASHINGTON – Charles Cunigan, 31, of Tennessee, has confessed to a horrifying scheme of sex trafficking, pleading guilty today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor and sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion. The details revealed paint a picture of calculated cruelty and relentless abuse, spanning multiple states and leaving a young victim permanently scarred.

Court documents detail how Cunigan and his girlfriend, Latesha Gardner, systematically exploited a minor victim between December 2021 and March 2022. The pair transported the victim across state lines – from Tennessee to Illinois, Louisiana, and Texas – forcing her into commercial sex acts. Cunigan didn’t just facilitate the abuse; he profited from it, pocketing all the money the victim earned and imposing a brutal daily quota she was forced to meet through exploitation.

The level of control Cunigan exerted over the victim was absolute and terrifying. He restricted her access to basic necessities like food and relentlessly tracked her location using a cell phone application. But the control didn’t stop at surveillance. Cunigan explicitly threatened to find and kill the victim if she attempted to escape, a chilling declaration of intent to maintain his grip on her life. The cruelty extended to physical violence – Cunigan routinely beat the victim when she failed to comply with his demands, including punching and kicking her during an altercation in February 2022. He even directed Gardner to participate in the physical abuse.

Federal authorities are seeking a significant sentence for Cunigan. Under the terms of the plea agreement, if accepted by the court, Cunigan will face 22 years and six months in prison. He has also agreed to pay $48,750 in restitution to the victim, a small measure of accountability for the immense harm he inflicted. Upon his release, Cunigan will be required to register as a sex offender and comply with all notification requirements.

The case was a collaborative effort led by Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans for the Eastern District of Louisiana; and Deputy Special Agent in Charge Eric DeLaune of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New Orleans. HSI New Orleans spearheaded the investigation, uncovering the details of this horrific crime.

The prosecution is being handled by Trial Attorney Melissa E. Bücher of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria M. Carboni for the Eastern District of Louisiana. This conviction serves as a stark reminder of the pervasive threat of human trafficking and the urgent need for continued vigilance and aggressive prosecution of those who prey on the vulnerable. The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on the sentencing hearing scheduled for September 24th.

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