CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Yusef Reynolds, 34, a repeat sex trafficker with ties to Delaware, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for the heinous crime of forcing a minor into commercial sex acts, announced Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina.
Reynolds was already on supervised release following his first federal sex trafficking conviction when he met and lured an underage victim online. He coerced her into engaging in sexual acts for profit, a fact that did not deter him despite being under federal supervision.
FBI Special Agent in Charge James C. Barnacle, Jr., and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Johnny Jennings stood alongside U.S. Attorney Ferguson in denouncing the criminal’s actions. “Reynolds’ actions are indicative of a predator who has no remorse for preying on vulnerable minors,” said Barnacle.
Court documents reveal that Reynolds had previously been convicted of sex trafficking and illegal possession of firearms in 2012, receiving a 10-year sentence. Upon his release in 2021, he again turned to sex trafficking, meeting a 16-year-old girl online and forcing her into commercial sex in Delaware.
Reynolds’ exploitation was thorough: he used threats, violence, verbal abuse, and drug coercion to ensure the minor’s compliance. He even advertised her for sale on a commercial sex website, taking all proceeds from her illegal encounters.
Pleading guilty on March 29, 2024, Reynolds will now face the consequences of his actions, transferred to federal prison. U.S. Attorney Ferguson commended the FBI’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force for their diligent work in bringing justice to this victim and holding this predator accountable.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Spaugh of the Charlotte office prosecuted the case with determination and dedication, ensuring that this pedophile would no longer prey on children.
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Key Facts
- State: North Carolina
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Sex Crimes|Human Trafficking|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
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