A jury split its verdict against nine people accused of operating a sex trafficking ring in the United States. On Friday, May 4, 2012, a jury found three of the nine men guilty of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking of children by force, fraud or coercion, child sex trafficking, and attempted child sex trafficking. One of the men convicted was charged with an additional count of child sex trafficking. The sentencing date has not been set, but all men face maximum sentences of up to life in prison.
The defendants are among 30 who were indicted in the case, and the remaining individuals could still face trial at a later date. The original indictment identifies that the trafficking ring involved three Minnesota-based Somali gangs. First Secretary of the Somali Mission to the United Nations, Omar Jamal, said that while there are a number of people in the Somali community who do not believe the government’s accusations, the fact that a Somali victim testified against other Somalis added credibility to her claims.
After the verdict, Assistant U.S. Attorney, Van Vincent said “It’s very important for victims to understand that you can come forward, people will listen and that people can believe what you have to say about the crime.”