Memphis Man Sentenced to 135 Months for Sex Trafficking Minor

MEMPHIS, Tenn. – A grim milestone in the fight against child sexual exploitation was reached as Wayne Edwards Settles, a 31-year-old Memphis resident, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison, followed by ten years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor and interstate sex trafficking. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Darren J. LaMarca and Special Agent in Charge Jermicha Fomby with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Settles, according to court documents and statements made in court, trafficked a young girl for commercial sex acts and transported another individual from Louisiana to Mississippi for similar purposes. He used online advertisements to promote the minor’s services and even branded her with a tattoo. The crimes took place across Jackson, Memphis, and New Orleans, underscoring the widespread nature of the exploitation.

Indicted by a federal grand jury on January 11, 2022, Settles pleaded guilty on October 25, 2022 to one count of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of interstate sex trafficking. The investigation into this case was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and the Richland Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly T. Purdie prosecuted the case with vigor, ensuring justice for the victims involved. This sentencing is a result of Project Safe Childhood, an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat the increasing problem of child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information on this crucial program, visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Project Safe Childhood coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children over the Internet and identify and rescue victims. The sentence imposed on Settles is a powerful reminder of the ongoing fight against child sex trafficking and the commitment to protect our youth from such predators.

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