Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, and Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, both residents of South Carolina, have entered guilty pleas to charges of human trafficking conspiracy in a federal court in Columbia. The case involves the exploitation of minors for commercial sex activities.

Court documents reveal that from December 2022 through August 2023, Gary and Perry collaborated with Antonio Marquis Nicholson and Terrell Counts to exploit three minors. Despite knowing their ages, the group engaged in recruiting and transporting the victims across state lines for commercial sex purposes.

Nicholson and Perry reportedly encountered one minor as a runaway at a hotel. They transported her across state boundaries, instructed her on engaging in commercial sex work, provided her with lingerie, photographed her for online advertisements, and facilitated encounters with clients in various locations within South Carolina. Nicholson managed financial aspects including setting prices and distributing proceeds among victims. Gary was involved in customer interactions under the guise of being a minor victim herself, transported one minor for exploitation elsewhere, collected payments which she handed over to Nicholson, and addressed issues with clients.

Two other minors were recruited near a high school and exploited during non-school days. The conspiracy used online platforms to advertise these minors' services, coordinate with customers, arrange meetings, and manage finances.

The operation was tightly controlled; physical assaults were reported against at least one victim. Members carried firearms and distributed drugs around the minors involved.

Gary and Perry face potential life sentences along with fines up to $250,000 each. They also agreed to pay restitution to their victims as part of their plea agreement. Sentencing will be determined by United States District Judge Sherri A. Lydon after reviewing reports from the U.S. Probation Office.

Charges remain pending against co-defendants Nicholson and Counts; they are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This case is linked to Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), aimed at reducing violent crime through collaboration between law enforcement agencies and communities. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), South Carolina Attorney General’s Office among others. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elliott B. Daniels and Ariyana N. Gore are leading the prosecution.