Roam Savage Chandler, 22, of Missoula, Montana, pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a minor and racketeering in federal court, admitting to turning two women—including a 17-year-old girl—into commodities for cash. The charges carry a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison for the trafficking count and up to five additional years for racketeering. U.S. District Court Judge Donald W. Molloy accepted the plea and scheduled sentencing for May 11, 2017, in Missoula.
Federal prosecutor Cyndee Peterson laid out the evidence in court documents, stating that if the case had gone to trial, the government was ready to prove Chandler orchestrated the commercial sexual exploitation of the teenage girl, whom he admitted was his girlfriend. In early May 2016, the minor performed multiple sex acts at various Missoula motels while Chandler pocketed the proceeds. He knew she was 17, authorities confirmed through both her testimony and a corroborating witness.
Chandler didn’t stop at exploiting a minor. An adult woman told investigators Chandler pushed her into prostitution too, using the same playbook: posting ads on backpage.com and collecting the money. She confirmed Chandler arranged her encounters, managed her online presence, and kept the cash. Investigators pulled hotel records, ad postings, and financial trails that backed up both women’s accounts—painting a pattern of predatory control.
The backpage.com ads were central to Chandler’s operation, acting as digital storefronts for human flesh. Law enforcement traced the postings directly to him, linking timestamps, IP data, and content style to his identity. Each ad dangled promises of illicit encounters while Chandler remained the hidden hand profiting from them. The site, long criticized for facilitating sex trafficking, once again figures in a federal conviction.
This case was a joint operation by the Montana Regional Violent Crime Task Force, the FBI, the Missoula Police Department, and the Missoula County Sheriff’s Office—highlighting the growing coordination between local and federal agencies to dismantle trafficking networks. Investigators moved fast once the 17-year-old came forward, treating her not as a criminal, but as a victim of exploitation.
Prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cyndee Peterson, the case underscores the brutality of domestic sex trafficking—often hidden in plain sight in motels, online ads, and coercive relationships. Chandler now faces life behind bars as the justice system reckons with the damage he inflicted. The sentencing hearing on May 11 will determine whether he spends the rest of his life paying for it.
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Key Facts
- State: Montana
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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