News: ST Louis, Missouri

Two U.S. Women Indited For Sex Trafficking

The victim was forced to have sex with men, beat with fists and blunt objects as well as burned with cigarettes and lighters

July 27, 2008

MISSOURI NEWS -- A federal grand jury in St. Louis, Missouri, indicted two women for federal sex trafficking charges related to forcing another woman to engage in commercial sex acts during June 2008. The indictment alleges two defendants:

Waquita Wallace, aka Goddess
April Chaney, aka April Wallace

Used force, fraud and coercion between June 1, 2008 and June 29, 2008, to cause another woman to engage in commercial sex acts and that the defendants benefitted financially from doing so.

According to an affidavit by FBI Special Agent Cynthia Dockery:

"The victim had been living with a female cousin who tried to convince her to have sex with her boyfriend. That man later forced the victim to have sex with him twice. The cousin left the victim at Wallace's house in late May or June. The cousin owed Wallace $3,300 and Wallace told the victim that the debt was now hers to pay off through prostitution and her food stamp and disability income.

The victim was forced to have sex with men and Wallace took her identification, wallet and clothes. Wallace beat her with fists and blunt objects and burned her with cigarettes and lighters. Wallace told her that she, Wallace, would kill her cousin, mother and grandmother if she tried to leave. Wallace, Harper and April held her head under water when she said she wanted to leave. The victim was rescued by her sister, who called the police."

Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division Grace Chung Becker, and Catherine L. Hanaway, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Missouri announced the grand jury indictment on July 22, 2008. Additionally, the investigation of the charges was conducted by the FBI and the St. Louis Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Marcus and Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Jim Felte.

The defendants, Waquita Wallace and April Chaney, are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty. But if convicted, both women face a maximum sentence of life in prison with a fine of up to $250,000.

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