Steven Snipe, 27, of West Palm Beach, Florida, was sentenced yesterday to 15 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking a minor and producing child pornography. The sentence marks the end of a federal prosecution that exposed a calculated operation to exploit a 15-year-old girl for commercial sex across South Florida hotels.
Court documents reveal that between late May 2017 and June 29, 2017, Snipe initiated a sexual relationship with the minor, then equipped her with a cell phone and directed her to create a Backpage.com account. He coached her to lie about her age, claiming she was 19, and posted ads advertising her for paid sex. Snipe orchestrated her encounters at multiple hotels, pocketing the proceeds from her exploitation.
The abuse ended only when the victim dialed 911 on June 29, 2017, reporting she was being forced into prostitution. Officers responded to a hotel room and found Snipe with the girl. A forensic examination of the phone Snipe provided uncovered multiple sexually explicit videos and images, including footage of Snipe engaging in sexual intercourse with the underage victim.
“Yesterday’s sentencing demonstrates the Department of Justice’s unwavering commitment to combatting the heinous crime of sex trafficking,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant’s depraved actions will not be tolerated.”
U.S. Attorney Ariana Fajardo Orshan emphasized that those who prey on children turn youth into victims of deplorable crimes. “We hear your calls for help and will continue to seek justice for all,” she stated. HSI Miami Special Agent in Charge Anthony Salisbury added that while the trauma cannot be undone, the sentence offers a step toward healing for the survivor.
The case was investigated by ICE-HSI, the Boynton Beach Police Department, and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Schiller, Special Litigation Counsel Matthew T. Grady, and Trial Attorney Maryam Zhuravitsky of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit. The Southern District of Florida is part of a federal anti-trafficking pilot program targeting high-impact human trafficking cases nationwide.
Related Federal Cases
- Seminole County Man Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Minor · Florida
- Altamonte Springs Man Gets 30 Years for Sex Trafficking Minor · Florida
- Highlands County Predator Indicted in Sex Trafficking Ring · Florida
- Tampa Brothers Hudson, Williams Get 70 Years for Sex Trafficking Minors · Florida
- Derek Lamar Reddick Gets 235 Months for Child Sex Trafficking · Georgia
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Human Trafficking
- Source: Official Source ↗
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