Ryan Russell Parks, Sex Trafficking of a Child, Maryland 2019

Baltimore Pimp Convicted of Sex Trafficking of a Child

A federal jury convicted Ryan Russell Parks, a/k/a Dinero, age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, for two counts of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of using the Internet to promote a business enterprise involving prostitution. The verdict was returned late on July 18, 2019, after a four-day trial.

The conviction was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge Jennifer C. Boone of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Colonel William M. Pallozzi, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.

"Ryan Parks preyed on vulnerable girls in order to profit by selling them for sex. When an adult profits from sex with a child, that is human trafficking, period," said Maryland U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur. "Through the Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force and the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, local, state, and federal law enforcement partners are working with non-profit organizations to help human trafficking victims and prosecute the traffickers. Working to end human trafficking is a priority for the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office."

According to the evidence presented at his trial, Parks trafficked two vulnerable minor victims—a 16-year-old girl (Girl 1) and a 15-year-old girl (Girl 2)—for commercial sex. According to trial testimony, Parks met Girl 1 online. During their communications Parks learned that she was hungry and had no real place to live, and he offered Girl 1 a place to stay. Parks sent a car to pick up Girl 1, and within a day, he caused advertisements to be posted on a website that marketed commercial sex workers. These advertisements contained photographs and descriptions of Girl 1 and offered Girl 1 for commercial sex acts. Parks stayed with Girl 1 in the motel room, along with another woman he was advertising on the Internet for commercial sex. Parks would leave the room for short periods of time, when men would come to the room to have sex with Girl 1, and he would return to the room shortly after the men left the room. Parks paid for additional advertisements on the website offering Girl 1 for commercial sex on August 1, and August 2, 2017. Girl 1 did not get to keep the money that she was paid by the men who came to the room to have sex with her. One of Girl 1's customers returned to the room the next day to rescue her, and he took her to live in a different city with his sister.

The evidence also proved that in November 2017, Parks met Girl 2 online, and he learned that she had run away from her foster home. On November 16, 2017, Parks paid a driver through an application on his cell phone to pick up Girl 2 and bring her to his home. Girl 2, who was 15 years old, told Parks that she was 17 years old, in foster care, and was in an unhappy situation. Parks provided Girl 2 with marijuana and had sex with her. He talked to her about making money through prostitution, and he took her to the same motel in Baltimore where Parks had harbored Girl 1. Because she had run away from her foster home without a coat, a purse, or change of clothing, Parks purchased a bra, panties, and condoms for Girl 2. Parks took photographs of Girl 2 and paid for an online advertisement offering Girl 2 for commercial sex using his cell phone. Several of the photos that Parks uploaded to the website were rejected, because they contained nudity and were too explicit. Less revealing photos of Girl 2, wearing the bra and panties purchased by Parks, were accepted and uploaded to the online advertisement. As he had with Girl 1, Parks then set the prices and time limits for the sex acts to be performed on Girl 2, and he instructed her on the process of checking a man for a wire when he came into the motel room. Parks stayed in the motel room with Girl 2 when other men were not present, but he left the room and stood outside in a stairwell when men arrived to have sex with Girl 2. Parks offered Girl 2 additional marijuana to keep her calm during her time in the motel room.

Defendant Information: Ryan Russell Parks, real full name, a/k/a Dinero, age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland.

Criminal Charges: Two counts of sex trafficking of a minor and one count of using the Internet to promote a business enterprise involving prostitution.

City and State: Baltimore, Maryland.

Exact Date: July 18, 2019.

Sentence or Outcome: Convicted.

Additional Facts: Parks preyed on vulnerable girls in order to profit by selling them for sex.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/pr/baltimore-pimp-convicted-federal-charges-sex-trafficking-child-and-using-internet-promote