MIAMI – Damion St. Patrick Baston, a 37-year-old man from Jamaica, has been sentenced to a staggering 27 years in prison for his role in a massive international sex trafficking operation.
Baston was convicted of all charges, including sex trafficking through means of force, threats of force, fraud, and coercion, both in the Southern District of Florida and in multiple countries around the world, including Australia. The charges also included transporting multiple individuals for prostitution, importation of an alien for prostitution, use of a passport secured by false statement, aggravated identity theft, illegal reentry of an alien previously ordered removed, and nine counts of money laundering.
According to the indictment, Baston victimized seven women in the Middle East, Australia, and the United States, using force, threats, and coercion to traffic them for sex in various cities, including Miami. He was also accused of stealing the identity of an American citizen and using it to obtain a Florida driver’s license and U.S. passport.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (ICE-HSI) and the Bureau of Diplomatic Security (DS), with assistance from the Australian Federal Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia S. Choe and Roy K. Altman prosecuted the case.
The sentencing marks a significant victory in the fight against human trafficking, a crime that continues to plague communities around the world. To report suspected human trafficking in South Florida, call the National Human Trafficking Resource Center Hotline at 1-888-373-7888.
Baston was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga to 324 months in prison, followed by a lifetime of supervised release.
The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida is committed to holding perpetrators of human trafficking accountable for their crimes. This case serves as a reminder that human trafficking will not be tolerated in our communities.
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Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Human Trafficking|Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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