Keron Eugene Lucious, Commercial Sex Trafficking, New Mexico 2023

Defendant Pleads Guilty in Commercial Sex Trafficking Ring

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.  – Keron Eugene Lucious, 22, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, pleaded guilty in federal court today to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of a minor.

According to court documents, Lucious was part of an eight-defendant superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on April 10, 2018. The indictment charged the defendants with various crimes, including conspiracy to recruit and force minors to engage in commercial sex acts in New Mexico and Arizona.

Lucious admitted to participating in a conspiracy involving the prostitution of a child under 18 years old. He transported the child in interstate commerce for purposes of prostitution, paid for hotel rooms for the child to engage in commercial sex acts, and shared the money earned from this prostitution with his co-conspirators. He also facilitated his criminal activity using a wireless telephone and social media.

Lucious is in custody awaiting sentencing and faces from 10 years to life in prison. Three of the other defendants in the case have also pleaded guilty and await sentencing.

Jason Jackson, 25, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on March 8, 2019, and is currently in custody, facing from 11 to 15 years in prison. Devin Perkins, 23, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on May 9, 2019, and has agreed to a sentence of 10 years in prison. Chante Bickham, 26, of Albuquerque, pleaded guilty on August 9, 2019, and is out of custody awaiting sentencing, where she faces up to six years in prison.

Charges are still pending against Camara Cherry-Amos, 25, Breeauna Langton, 21, and Andrew Wyatt, 30, all of Albuquerque, and John Dompierre, 46, of Phoenix, Arizona. Defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

The charges in this case arose from a joint investigation involving the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General, and the Bernalillo County District Attorney’s Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney George C. Kraehe is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

Lucious’ plea agreement admitted to participating in a conspiracy involving the prostitution of a child under 18 years old. He faces from 10 years to life in prison. Lucious is in custody awaiting sentencing.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-nm/pr/fourth-defendant-pleads-guilty-federal-charges-commercial-sex-trafficking-ring