A federal judge has sentenced a Hattiesburg man to 30 years in prison for his role in a human trafficking ring. Raymorris Asencio, 32, was convicted of human trafficking and transporting a minor across state lines to engage in prostitution.
The sentencing took place in U.S. District Court in Oxford, Mississippi, on Thursday. Judge Glen H. Davidson handed down the 30-year sentence, followed by 5 years of supervised release, and a $200 special assessment.
According to the charges, Asencio trafficked a minor female for sex in 2018. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, in a statement, praised the quick action of the Oxford Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other local law enforcement agencies for their role in the case.
“Combatting human trafficking is a top priority for our office,” said U.S. Attorney William C. Lamar. “Through collaborative efforts with our state and local law enforcement partners in Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Safe Childhood, we will do just that. We must protect our children from predators like Asencio.
Private citizens in Oxford noticed the minor and Asencio and notified the Oxford Police Department of their concerns for the minor’s safety. The Oxford Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and other police departments in Hattiesburg and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, all worked together to locate and rescue the minor.
Special Agent in Charge Christopher Freeze commended the efforts of the Child Exploitation Task Force and partner law enforcement agencies that assisted with the case. “It is nearly unthinkable that trafficking a minor for prostitution still happens in Mississippi, but the jury in this case agreed that the charges against Asencio were warranted,” said Freeze.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Roberts and Michael Hallock prosecuted the case for the United States. The case was investigated by the FBI Jackson Division’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which is made up of agents from the FBI, the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office, and officers from the Prentiss County Sheriff’s Office and Southaven Police Department.
Key Facts
- State: Mississippi
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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