A Houston man has been sentenced to more than 15 years in federal prison for coercing and enticing a minor and for being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to an announcement from U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei.
Brandon Dominic Porter, 42, pleaded guilty on May 15. U.S. District Judge Sim Lake sentenced him to 188 months in prison, followed by supervised release for the rest of his life. During his supervised release, Porter will face restrictions on contact with children and internet use and must register as a sex offender.
“The goal of Project Safe Childhood is to protect children from sexual abusers,” said Ganjei. “Thanks to the good work of law enforcement and our SDTX prosecutors, this dangerous predator will spend the next decade-and-a-half behind bars.”
The case began when the mother of the victim reported her daughter missing on October 11, 2022. Law enforcement traced the investigation to Porter at a local hotel. After he left the hotel, police conducted a traffic stop and found items including a pink iPhone linked to the victim, school paperwork with her name, another phone, and a loaded Smith & Wesson .40 caliber pistol under the vehicle’s center console.
Authorities located the missing girl the following day. Forensic analysis of both phones revealed photos and videos showing sexual activity between Porter and the minor from July 20 through October 5, 2022. Investigators determined that Porter had coerced her into performing sex acts and prostituting herself for his financial benefit.
Porter’s prior felony convictions prohibit him from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.
He remains in custody pending transfer to a Federal Bureau of Prisons facility.
The investigation was led by Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with support from Houston Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stuart Tallichet and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri Zack prosecuted this case as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), an initiative launched by the Department of Justice in May 2006 aimed at combating child sexual exploitation by coordinating federal, state, and local resources to identify offenders and rescue victims. More information about PSC can be found on DOJ’s PSC page; resources about internet safety education are also available there.
