Trafficker Sentenced to 40 Years for Sex Crimes

Benson December Coriolant, 30, of Orlando, Florida, was sentenced to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking a child into the New Orleans area, announced United States Attorney Dana J. Boente.

Coriolant was convicted by a federal jury of sex trafficking of a child, conspiring with others to sex traffic a child, coercing and enticing an individual to engage in prostitution, and coercing and enticing a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity.

The case marked the first human sex trafficking conviction in the Eastern District of Louisiana.

According to evidence introduced at trial, Coriolant met R.V., a 14-year-old female, in late 2008, and began a sexual relationship with her. He convinced her that their relationship was one of boyfriend/girlfriend and recruited her to begin working for him as a prostitute in the Orlando area.

Coriolant posted advertisements on multiple city-specific internet classified ad websites offering prostitution services of the minor and forced R.V. to engage in dozens of sexual acts in exchange for money throughout the state of Florida. He also provided her with alcohol and illicit drugs, such as Ecstasy, to numb her senses and control her behavior.

In March 2010, Coriolant drove R.V., then 15-years-old, to Kenner, Louisiana, to work as a prostitute. He used the New Orleans version of the online classified advertisement website to solicit individuals interested in paying for sex with the minor and required her to put the money she made from prostitution into a bank account for his benefit.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. It was further brought as part of the Innocence Lost National Initiative, which aimed at addressing the growing problem of domestic sex trafficking of children in the United States.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Orleans Division, the Tampa Division of the FBI, and the Kenner Police Department. The convictions are a result of the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies working together to protect children from sex trafficking and abuse.

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