ORLANDO, FL – Kennedy Harris, Jr., 24, of Cocoa, Florida, will spend the next three decades in federal prison after being sentenced for the brutal exploitation of a teenage girl. U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton, Jr. handed down the 30-year sentence, followed by a lifetime of supervised release, on charges of sex trafficking of a child by force, fraud, or coercion, and production of child pornography. The conviction stemmed from a September 29, 2016, federal jury verdict.
The case, laid bare during the trial, revealed a chilling pattern of abuse. In January 2016, Harris took in the 16-year-old victim after she ran away from her home. He didn’t offer help; he saw an opportunity. Harris immediately began taking sexually suggestive photographs of the girl, then brazenly advertised her services on Backpage.com. He didn’t stop there. He actively coerced the victim into performing sexually explicit acts specifically for the purpose of creating more exploitative images.
The evidence painted a grim picture of daily abuse. Over approximately two weeks, the victim was forced into sexual encounters with up to eight different individuals per day. Every dollar earned from these encounters went directly to Harris, while the girl received a horrifying payment in return: crack cocaine, supplied to her nearly every day. This wasn’t just exploitation; it was a calculated addiction fueling a monstrous enterprise.
The nightmare ended on February 10, 2016, when the Cocoa Police Department, acting on information developed through the investigation, recovered the victim. The swift action brought an end to the immediate abuse but couldn’t erase the trauma inflicted. The investigation quickly broadened, drawing in the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, all working to build a case against Harris.
Assistant United States Attorney Tiffany L. Cummins skillfully prosecuted the case, presenting the damning evidence to the jury. This conviction is a direct result of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to aggressively combat the escalating epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The project pools resources from federal, state, and local agencies to bring predators like Harris to justice and rescue vulnerable victims.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the darkness that exists and the importance of vigilance. Those with information about suspected child exploitation are urged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children or their local law enforcement agency. For more information on Project Safe Childhood and resources available, visit www.justice.gov/psc. Harris’s actions have caused irreparable harm, and his 30-year sentence, while significant, barely begins to address the devastation he inflicted.
RELATED: Memphis Woman Gets Decade for Ice & Iron in IL
RELATED: Meth Kingpin Gets 27+ Years in Arkansas Slammer
Related Federal Cases
- Gary R. Tomey II Gets 90 Months for Charity Scam · Mississippi
- Gun Dealer Hernandez Gets 3 Years for Arming Criminals · Arkansas
- Marianna Meth King Gets Decade Behind Bars · Arkansas
- Arkansas Predator Gets 50 Years For Child Porn · Arkansas
- Live Nation Faces Trial Over Monopoly Practices · Washington
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Human Trafficking|Drug Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
