An Elyria man was sentenced to life in prison after forcing four females, including a 16-year-old girl, to have sex for money, law enforcement officials said.
Jeremy Mack, 38, of Elyria, was found guilty by a jury in February on nine counts, including human trafficking, drug crimes and obstruction of justice following a trial before U.S. District Court Judge Sara Lioi.
"Jeremy Mack preyed upon vulnerable women and held them in conditions akin to modern-day slavery," said Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio. "His conduct was offensive to everything this community and this country stand for, but his victims persevered, survived and exposed his twisted world of forced sex, violence and drug trafficking. Jeremy Mack earned every day of this sentence."
"Preying on, coercing and forcing children into a world of drugs and sex is simply despicable and will not be tolerated," said Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Cleveland office. "This sentence clearly demonstrates that law enforcement and the courts will work together to ensure those responsible for such horrific crimes pay for their actions.
Ashley Onysko, 24, of Avon Lake, previously pleaded guilty to charges related to her role in the conspiracy. She was sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier this week.
Between December 2012 and April 9, 2013, Mack and Onysko conspired together to provide heroin or cocaine to four females and then, after the victims incurred drug debts, used force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel them to engage in commercial sex acts.
RELATED: Elyria Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Online Child Sex Exploitation
RELATED: Elyria Drug Kingpin Octavious Smith Sentenced to 20 Years
Related Federal Cases
Key Facts
- State: Ohio
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
ðŸâ€Â’ Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
