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Pittsburgh Resident Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sex Trafficking
PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Eric Jefferson, a 41-year-old resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for his conviction of sex trafficking, according to a federal court ruling on January 30, 2025. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge J. Nicholas Ranjan.
Jefferson was found guilty of coercing and forcing at least four women to perform commercial sex work for his monetary gain between June 2019 and April 2022. He provided the women with drugs for meeting clients and withheld the drugs if they refused to meet with clients, exploiting their dependence on narcotics. In some cases, Jefferson used violence and threats of violence to control the women.
“Eric Jefferson forced these women to earn money on his behalf, controlling the victims both through physical force and exploiting their dependence upon narcotics,” said Acting United States Attorney Troy Rivetti. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will aggressively prosecute human traffickers such as Jefferson in order to protect and rescue the most vulnerable victims in our district.”
Assistant United States Attorney DeMarr Moulton prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. Acting United States Attorney Rivetti commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pittsburgh Bureau of Police for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Jefferson.
Jefferson’s sentencing is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania. This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.
Prior to imposing sentence, Judge Ranjan heard from the victims of the charged crimes and stressed the heinousness of Jefferson’s conduct and its devastating impacts upon the victims. The FBI and law enforcement agencies have vowed to aggressively pursue criminals who prey on others.
The prosecution of Jefferson serves as a warning to human traffickers that the law will be enforced, and those who engage in such heinous crimes will face severe consequences. The sentence handed down to Jefferson is a testament to the commitment of law enforcement agencies to protect the most vulnerable members of our community and bring justice to those who have been victimized.
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Human Trafficking|Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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