Steven M. Williams, Sex Trafficking of a Child by Force Fraud and C…

Steven M. Williams, a/k/a “Brother Ray,” a/k/a “Ray,” 38, of Delaware, and Harry E. Rivers, a/k/a “Hakeem,” a/k/a “Pots,” 28, of Delaware, were indicted by a federal grand jury on February 21, 2018, for sex trafficking of a child by force, fraud, and coercion. The charges stem from an alleged operation that exploited vulnerable girls and women for commercial sex acts, with one victim being a 15-year-old girl just months after finishing eighth grade.

According to the indictment unsealed in Baltimore, Maryland, Williams and Rivers operated as pimps, systematically recruiting, enticing, harboring, transporting, and maintaining minors and women for prostitution. In July 2017, they targeted “Girl 1,” a Delaware resident, manipulating her into commercial sex through coercive control. The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges the defendants used psychological pressure, deception, and intimidation to maintain dominance over their victim.

Acting U.S. Attorney Stephen M. Schenning, FBI Special Agent in Charge Gordon B. Johnson, and Elkton Police Chief Matthew Donnelly jointly announced the indictment. The case was investigated by a coalition of law enforcement agencies, including the FBI Baltimore Field Office, Elkton Police Department, Newark and Wilmington Police Departments in Delaware, and state social services and prosecutors in Cecil County and Delaware.

Both Williams and Rivers face a maximum penalty of life in prison if convicted. The charges carry no parole under federal sentencing guidelines. An initial court appearance has not yet been scheduled. The indictment does not constitute a finding of guilt; both defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case was pursued under Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation. The program coordinates federal, state, and local efforts to identify, rescue, and protect child victims while aggressively prosecuting traffickers and abusers nationwide.

Acting U.S. Attorney Schenning praised the investigative work of federal and local agencies, particularly the FBI and Delaware law enforcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia McLane and Zachary A. Myers are prosecuting the case. For more information on child protection resources, visit www.justice.gov/psc.

RELATED: Heroin Ring Busted: 31 Indicted in Northeast Ohio