SACRAMENTO – California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that defendants Quinton Brown and Gerald Turner have pled guilty to multiple felony charges of sex trafficking of a minor. The defendants entered guilty pleas in Tulare County Superior Court. Under the terms of the plea agreement, Quinton Brown is expected to serve a 28-year sentence, and Gerald Turner is expected to serve an 11-year sentence. The third defendant, Mia McNeil, is expected back in court on February 26.
“These guilty pleas are a prime example of how we will fight to ensure that justice is served upon those who commit the heinous crime of sex trafficking,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Delivering justice for victims of these crimes is a top priority for me as Attorney General. I want to thank all of the law enforcement agents and officers throughout the State who worked tirelessly on this investigation and who work every day to ensure Californians are safe. My team will continue to work to protect victims from sex trafficking and prosecute those who profit from the exploitation of human beings.”
In July 2017, Attorney General Becerra filed 54 felony charges against Brown, Turner and McNeil, following a six-month investigation by the Tulare County Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Division of Law Enforcement of the California Department of Justice. The criminal complaint alleged that Brown lured victims from the Central Valley and trafficked them throughout the State. It also alleged that Turner trafficked minors in the Central Valley and that McNeil fraudulently procured luxury vehicles and apartments used to facilitate the trafficking. The victims, including eight minors, were sold for commercial sex throughout the Central Valley, Bay Area and Los Angeles.
Victims and survivors of human trafficking are encouraged to call any police department or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at (888) 373-7888.
California Attorney General Xavier Becerra / Tuesday, January 16, 2018
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