Defendant faces up to life in federal prison
CHARLESTON, W.Va. - A Mingo County woman pleaded guilty today to a sex trafficking crime involving a minor, announced United States Attorney Carol Casto. Misty Dawn Baisden, 40, of Delbarton, entered her guilty plea to conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor.
Baisden admitted that in March 2017, she conspired with a codefendant on her cell phone to engage a minor in commercial sex. The communication involved photographs of a minor and the discussion of exchanging money, items, or other things of value for sexually explicit photographs or sexual activity. Baisden admitted that she understood from the entire conversation that her codefendant would be providing her with assistance in engaging in commercial sexual activity with a minor.
Baisden faces up to life in federal prison when she is sentenced on Jan. 23, 2018. She will also be required to register as a sex offender.
The FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, the West Virginia State Police, the Ashland Police Department, and the Boyd County Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is in charge of the prosecution. The plea hearing was held before United States District Judge John T. Copenhaver, Jr.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute those who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
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Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
