Sex Trafficking Ring Busted in Pittsburgh Area
A federal grand jury in Pittsburgh has indicted two individuals on charges related to sex trafficking, announced United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung today.
Philip Walker, also known as Phillip Walker, Sean, Sean Santana, and Money, 36, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Anjali Lindsey, 22, of Kensington, Maryland, are accused of conspiring to commit sex trafficking by force, threats of force, fraud or coercion, on adult females from November 2019 to April 2022.
The indictment charges that Walker and Lindsey used the internet and cell phones to facilitate their sex trafficking operation, which spanned Pennsylvania, Florida, and Texas. Walker is also charged with two counts of sex trafficking two different adult females using force, threats of force, fraud or coercion to cause them to engage in commercial sex acts.
Walker is further charged with inducing and enticing one of these adult females to travel from Ohio to Pennsylvania with the intent that the adult female engage in prostitution. If convicted, Walker faces a maximum total sentence of not less than 15 years to life in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both.
Lindsey, meanwhile, faces a maximum total sentence of up to life in prison, a fine not to exceed $250,000.00, or both. The law provides for these sentences based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
The investigation leading to the indictment was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with the assistance of the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police Narcotics Division. Additional members of the public who may have information about Walker and Lindsey’s involvement in sex trafficking are encouraged to call the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office at (412) 432-4000.
The sex trafficking charges in the indictment concern specific victims. Further information on Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now) and its efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/operation-t-e-n.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The prosecution of this case is part of Operation T.E.N. (Trafficking Ends Now), an umbrella coalition for law enforcement, community, and non-profit partners in the 25 counties in the Western District of Pennsylvania.
The Federal Sentencing Guidelines would determine the actual sentence imposed, based on the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski on behalf of the government.
This coordinated effort aims to end human trafficking through education and improved cooperation across agencies and service providers, thereby enhancing the office’s ability to empower victims of human trafficking to become thriving survivors.
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Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Category: Human Trafficking|Sex Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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