An Indiana man was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for pimping out a 17-year-old girl online to perform sex acts at multiple Indianapolis area hotels.
According to a March 15 news release, Damion Alexander, 28, of Fort Wayne, Ind., pleaded guilty to sex trafficking a minor. He was also sentenced to 15 years supervised release after his prison sentence and was ordered to pay $13,000 in restitution to the victims. He must also register as a sex offender.
“Trafficking vulnerable minors’ bodies for financial gain is a despicable crime that merits significant punishment,” U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers said in the release. “Pimps like this defendant inflict lasting trauma with utter disregard for the safety or dignity of those they exploit."
Court documents show Alexander met a 17-year-old girl online in 2021 and subsequently met her and her adult friend in person, the release reported. He then convinced them to travel with him and between May 15, 2021, and June 2, 2021. The minor was transported back and forth from Fort Wayne for commercial sex in Indianapolis area hotels numerous times.
The release reported Alexander corresponded with commercial sex buyers while setting prices and directing the minor for the time spent and what acts to perform with the buyer. He used CashApp for payments that were transferred to his account. Alexander reportedly made thousands of dollars and kept the money, telling the victim he was “holding” it for her and would give it back if she needed it.
Alexander also took sexually explicit photos and videos of the victim and the adult, and used these as online advertisements for sex, according to the release. Cell phone videos were also obtained that show Alexander abusing the victim while she was “severely impaired.”
Indianapolis Metropolis Police Department officers took the minor victim from a Sheraton Hotel at Keystone Crossing in Indianapolis June 2, 2021, the release said. Alexander was found loitering outside the hotel room of the victim. When officers approached him he fled.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IMPD. The sentence was given out by U.S. District Court Judge Jane Magnus-Stinson, the release reported.
"Our office and our law enforcement partners, including the FBI and IMPD, are fully committed to rescuing survivors from sex trafficking and putting pimps in prison," Myers added, according to the release. "The sentence imposed today should serve as a warning to would-be traffickers: if you sell minors for sex you will spend many years in federal prison.”
