Robert Frenchie McGriff, Attempted Sex Trafficking, California 2019

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FRESNO, Calif. - In a shocking case of attempted sex trafficking, Robert Frenchie McGriff, 39, of Mesa, Arizona, has been charged with two federal crimes. The charges stem from a June 2019 incident in which McGriff traveled from Phoenix to Turlock, California, with the intent of retrieving a minor female and transporting her to work as a prostitute.

According to court documents, McGriff's plan was to exploit the minor for financial gain. Thanks to the diligent work of the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department’s Special Prosecutions Unit and the Stockton Office of Homeland Security Investigations, McGriff's scheme was uncovered.

The indictment, handed down by a federal grand jury, charges McGriff with attempted sex trafficking and attempted interstate transportation with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity of a minor female. If convicted, McGriff faces a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years and a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, along with a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Enos is prosecuting the case, which is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative aimed at combating child sexual exploitation and abuse. Launched in May 2006, Project Safe Childhood has made significant strides in locating, apprehending, and prosecuting those who sexually exploit children, as well as identifying and rescuing victims.

As part of the investigation, McGriff is alleged to have traveled from Arizona to California with the intent of exploiting a minor. His actions are a stark reminder of the horrors of sex trafficking and the importance of continued efforts to combat this heinous crime.

McGriff's case is a stark reminder that sex trafficking is a pervasive problem that affects communities nationwide. The charges against him serve as a warning to those who would seek to exploit and harm the most vulnerable among us.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-edca/pr/arizona-man-charged-attempted-sex-trafficking-child-and-attempted-transportation-minor