Michael Gallon, Sex Trafficking & Child Pornography, Florida 2013

Lakeland Man Sentenced to 33 Years for Sex Trafficking and Child Pornography Charges

Tampa, Florida – In a federal court, United States District Judge Steven D. Merryday yesterday handed down a harsh sentence to Michael Gallon, a 49-year-old man from Lakeland, Florida.

Gallon was sentenced to a term of 33 years and 9 months’ imprisonment for sex trafficking of a minor by force, fraud or coercion and a concurrent term of 20 years in federal prison for distributing child pornography. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervision, upon his release. Gallon pleaded guilty to the charges on February 5, 2014.

According to the plea agreement, Gallon operated a sex trafficking ring in Florida and the southeastern United States. He recruited adult and minor females to join his ‘dance team’ and transported them to bachelor parties and house parties that he arranged. The females danced and performed acts of prostitution at the parties. Gallon set up ‘VIP’ rooms at each of the parties, where he would encourage the females to engage in commercial sex acts. He charged the women to use the ‘VIP’ rooms and kept most of the money they earned.

Law enforcement has identified at least twelve minor-aged victims of Gallon’s crime. The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Lakeland Police Department jointly investigated the case.

This case is another example of the Department’s efforts to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims.

Assistant United States Attorney Stacie B. Harris prosecuted the case. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc.

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