A Lake Placid resident, Shannima Yuantrell Session, also known as “Shalamar,” has been ordered to pay $327,735 in restitution to victims of sex trafficking. The order was issued on October 6 by U.S. District Judge Aileen M. Cannon.
Session, 47, was previously sentenced to life in federal prison after being convicted by a jury of ten counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and three counts involving the trafficking of minors. The case involved the exploitation of nearly a dozen women and girls.
“Human trafficking is one of the most vicious crimes imaginable—it strips victims of their freedom, dignity, and humanity,” said U.S. Attorney Jason A. Reding Quiñones for the Southern District of Florida. “This restitution order ensures that the survivors of Session’s cruelty receive some measure of justice for the years of exploitation and abuse they endured. Our Office will continue to pursue traffickers relentlessly and stand with the victims they sought to silence.”
Evidence presented during a nine-day trial in September 2024 showed that Session compelled his victims to perform thousands of commercial sex acts between July 2011 and July 2013, and again from February 2016 through February 2019. He targeted women and girls facing unstable housing or substance abuse problems with false promises about employment opportunities and housing support.
The investigation revealed that Session forced his victims into commercial sex acts at various locations including trailers used by migrant workers and orange groves. He maintained control using food, shelter, drugs, intimidation with firearms, physical violence—including beatings—and threats such as holding two victims’ heads underwater at a lake while threatening them if they disobeyed.
At both trial and restitution hearing stages, it was shown that Session obtained approximately $327,735 through these coerced activities; he must now repay this amount to his victims.
U.S. Attorney Reding Quiñones made the announcement along with Special Agent in Charge Brett D. Skiles from the FBI’s Miami Field Office.
The case was investigated by FBI Miami’s Fort Pierce Resident Agency with help from Highlands County Sheriff’s Office. Prosecution was led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Justin Hoover (Southern District of Florida) together with Trial Attorneys Leah Branch and Matthew Thiman from the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit.
Individuals with information regarding human trafficking are encouraged to contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888 or visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org for resources; further details on government efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
Related court documents are available via www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov under case number 22-cr-14074.
