Spartanburg Men Accused of Forcing Minors into Prostitution. Human Trafficking
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From left to right, D’Shawn C. Pitts, Dylan L. Patterson and Brandon L. Littlejohn.
SPARTANBURG, SC
Seven Spartanburg men have been charged with Human Trafficking.
U.S. Attorney Bill Nettles announced Tuesday that a federal grand jury has returned a multi-count indictment alleging conspiracy to traffic in children by force for the purposes of prostitution, substantive counts charging each co-conspirator with trafficking in children and the transportation of minors in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
The suspects include: Brandon L. Littlejohn, 26, D’Shawn C. Pitts, 19, Dylan L. Patterson, 19, Michael G. Riddle, 20, Michael D. Whitaker, 25, John A. Gossett, III, 22 and Bryson L. Stewart, 23
The men are accused of recruiting minor victims and young women to work for them, and then instructed and supervised the victims on how to solicit and charge for commercial sex acts. The indictment also states that the conspirators “would and did physically beat or threaten to physically beat the minor victims and young women to scare and control them.”
“Because human trafficking takes a great personal and psychological toll on the victims and society as a whole, this office and our federal and state partners are committed to devoting the resources required so that all allegations of human trafficking in South Carolina are investigated.”
The defendants are accused of exploiting under aged girls through a sex trafficking scheme across multiple states.
The defendants face up to life in prison and a fine of $250,000, and five years of supervised release, if they're convicted.
The case was investigated by agents of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Investigations, and the Spartanburg County Sheriff’s Office
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