From The Charlotte Observer by Steve Lyttle, August 16, 2013
A Charlotte man was convicted by a federal jury this week with sex trafficking of a minor, the U.S. Attorney’s Office says.
Juan Brandon Gray-Sommerville, 23, had been charged in April with one count of knowingly obtaining, harboring, providing and transporting a minor to engage in prostitution.
Juan Brandon Gray-Sommerville, 23
Mecklenburg County Jail photo
Federal prosecutors say Gray-Sommerville began communicating with a girl through social media, then through text messages. According to court records, Gray-Sommerville and his girlfriend traveled to a town outside Charlotte on March 13, 2012, and picked up the girl in front of her school.
The three then came back to Charlotte and checked into a motel, prosecutors say. According to testimony during the trial, Gray-Sommerville took pictures of the girl at the motel and created an online advertisement in an effort to recruit clients for sex.The defendant then drove the girl to have sex for money with two clients, prosecutors say. The girl managed to call 911 and was found by police. Prosecutors say Gray-Sommerville had abandoned the victim for fear of being caught.“It is inconceivable that someone would sexually exploit a child for financial gain, but it does happen, and the FBI will aggressively pursue those who victimize our children,” said John Strong, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Charlotte division.
Gray-Sommerville faces a mandatory prison term of at least 10 years and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set.
The FBI worked with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police on the investigation.
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