Kalamazoo Man David Givhan Convicted in Sex Trafficking Case

David Q. Givhan, aka “Premier,” 34, of Kalamazoo, Michigan, was found guilty on all counts in a federal sex trafficking case that laid bare a brutal pattern of coercion, violence, and exploitation. After less than five hours of deliberation, a Louisville jury convicted Givhan of one count of sex trafficking and three counts of interstate transportation for prostitution. The verdict, delivered yesterday, marks a critical win in the federal crackdown on modern-day slavery.

The trial revealed how Givhan manipulated, terrorized, and profited from vulnerable women between October 2014 and April 2015. Prosecutors proved he transported three women across state lines — from Michigan to Kentucky, Florida, and other locations — forcing them into prostitution. One woman, a single mother of three, was lured by false promises of steady income and a better life. Instead, she was stripped of her earnings, beaten, and forced to tattoo his alias, “Premier,” on her neck. He demanded she earn $1,000 daily and punished defiance with sexual assault and threats of murder.

Witness testimony detailed how Givhan used psychological and physical control to maintain dominance. He beat other women in front of her to instill fear and brought her back by force when she tried to escape. Even after she sought medical help in Florida for severe pain and bleeding, he compelled her to continue turning tricks. Her eventual escape — orchestrated with help from a hotel clerk and her mother — ended months of captivity and abuse.

U.S. Attorney John E. Kuhn Jr. of the Western District of Kentucky called the crime a form of modern-day slavery. “Victims, often vulnerable women, are terrorized by violence, threats and other coercion,” Kuhn stated. “This swift verdict should be a strong message that sex trafficking will not be tolerated.”

Federal authorities emphasized their commitment to dismantling trafficking networks. Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta condemned the crime as a violation of human decency. FBI Louisville Special Agent in Charge Amy S. Hess underscored that protecting trafficking victims remains a top bureau priority, with teams actively targeting predators like Givhan.

Givhan remains in federal custody awaiting sentencing on March 14, 2017, at 11 a.m. before U.S. District Judge David J. Hale in Louisville. He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in prison. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Louisville Division and Louisville Metro Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda E. Gregory and Trial Attorney William Nolan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.