Jefferson City, Mo. – A Columbia, Mo., man charged last month with sex trafficking a minor was indicted by a federal grand jury today on additional charges. Kenneth Ronald Jones, 25, of Columbia, was charged in an eight-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Jefferson City, Mo.
Today’s indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Jones on Feb. 23, 2017, and includes additional charges related to additional victims. The indictment charges Jones with three counts of transportation for illegal sexual activity by coercion and enticement, one count of transporting a minor across state lines for illegal sexual activity, sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, FBI agents learned on June 29, 2016, that a 17-year-old runaway from Wisconsin – identified in court documents as “L.V.” – was being held against her will and forced into prostitution by Jones. She was located at a residence in Columbia and removed by law enforcement agents the same day.
L.V. told investigators that she met Jones in May 2016 at a party in Milwaukee, Wis., and agreed to travel with him to Columbia to engage in prostitution. Within a few minutes of arriving at a Columbia residence that was used as a brothel, the affidavit says, a man arrived soliciting prostitution. This man selected L.V. from the approximately five prostitutes present, and paid to have sex with her.
L.V. subsequently engaged in prostitution almost every day, averaging two or three clients per day. Although Jones knew that L.V. was 17 years old, the affidavit says, he told everyone else at the brothel that L.V was 18 years old so she would be allowed to work there. L.V. reported that escort advertisements were purchased on Backpage, a classified advertising website frequently utilized by prostitutes.
Another victim, identified in court documents as “C.M.,” told police that three days after arriving at the house, Jones told her that she needed to make money, and threatened to kick her to the streets if she did not do what he wanted. C.M. agreed and did a prostitution “date.” When C.M. told Jones she didn’t want to do that anymore and that she was willing to work as a dancer to make money, Jones allegedly pulled out a handgun and pointed it at her.
Jones became increasingly verbally abusive and cruel, the affidavit says, and pressured L.V. to see more clients. L.V. said she wanted to stop prostituting herself after two weeks and told Jones on multiple occasions she did not want to prostitute anymore because it was sad and degrading. Jones did not care, the affidavit says, and instructed L.V. to keep making money.
Jones was arrested when he returned from Milwaukee for a Boone County court appearance today on an unrelated matter on Feb. 27, 2017. He is being held without bond pending trial.
Related Federal Cases
- Kenneth Ronald Jones, Sex Trafficking a Minor, Missouri 2017 · Missouri
- Barry Paul Manthe, Prostitution Enterprise, Missouri 2017 · Missouri
- Logan Viquesney, Interstate Minor Sex Trafficking, VA 2024 · Virginia
- Missouri Sex Offender Admits Transporting Teen Across State Lines for Sex · Missouri
- Missouri Sex Offender Caught with Child Porn Gets 15 Years · Missouri
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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