Two Maryland residents were sentenced for their roles in an intricate kidnapping and sex trafficking conspiracy.
According to an April 15 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release, Joshua Lankford, 33, of Manchester, and Lakeya Aldridge, 41, of Federalsburg, were sentenced to 17 and nine years, respectively, for not only drugging a woman they kidnapped, but also threatening to kill her to keep her from testifying in court. Lankford allegedly organized the crime.
“Joshua Lankford’s crimes were nothing short of horrific. He kidnapped and victimized a vulnerable woman then plotted to kill her to save himself,” said Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso, of HSI Baltimore. “The atrocities of his crimes are clearly reflected in the severity of his sentence. HSI Baltimore remains committed to investigating human trafficking organizations as they prey upon the most vulnerable populations in our communities.”
According to the news release, Lankford, who also goes by the names "20-20," "Light Bright" and "Yellow," abused the victim's alleged drug addiction to transport her across state lines from Delaware to Maryland to engage in sexual acts for a few days in October 2018. He also reportedly promised to help her buy a house, make more money and regain custody of her son.
Aldridge helped "maintain the victim," according to the release. There were reportedly two other accomplices to assist with this task.
