A Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court for his role in a sex trafficking conspiracy that involved four victims, including two teenagers.
Dameon Devor Williams, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 16 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Williams to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
On June 29, 2023, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking and one count of sex trafficking. Williams admitted that he participated in a sex-trafficking conspiracy from Aug. 1, 2018, to Jan. 9, 2019, that caused four victims to engage in prostitution. One of the victims was 14 years old, and another victim was 16 years old.
On Jan. 7, 2019, Homeland Security Investigations agents in Kansas City, Mo., received a tip regarding a 14-year-old female (identified in court documents as V1) whose whereabouts were unknown. She had previously been apprehended in Blue Springs, Mo., after a traffic accident involving a stolen vehicle. She was taken to Children’s Mercy Hospital, where she reported that she had been forced to have sex for money. The hospital gave her personal belongings, including her cell phone, to federal agents. Agents used the phone to identify a residence in Jackson, Mississippi, where they encountered a second, 16-year-old, victim (identified in court documents as V2) a couple of days later. The second victim assisted agents in locating the first victim at a residence in Kansas City, Mo.
Agents set up surveillance at the Kansas City apartment building and soon saw V1 leave the residence and get into a vehicle with co-defendant Cory Lavell Smith, also known as “Fatz,” 29, of Kansas City, Mo., who was driving. When law enforcement officers identified themselves, Smith fled in the vehicle at a high rate of speed. Agents pursued the vehicle, which was ultimately brought to a stop. Smith was arrested and V1 was taken into protective custody.
V1 identified Smith as her pimp. She told investigators that Smith groomed her into the commercial sex trade by befriending her, partying with her, buying her things, and educating her about the commercial sex trade. Smith provided her with drugs and deprived her of food to gain her compliance. V1 said she was paid $150 for a sex act, but Smith took all but $10 or $20 of that. Smith advertised V1 for commercial sex on various websites. She normally saw two or three men per day, and Smith drove her to local motels to conduct commercial sex acts. Smith kept V1 at the apartment in Kansas City and would lock the door to prevent her from leaving. She provided investigators with the names of two additional victims who had been trafficked by Smith.
V1 told investigators that Williams also set up commercial sex transactions for her. Smith and Williams split the money earned from the transactions. Williams photographed her to advertise her for commercial sex.
According to the plea agreement, Smith and Williams worked together and there is evidence of their coordination in the commercial sex business. V1 told investigators there were times when Williams would call Smith about a commercial sex “deal” and Smith would either take V1 to the deal location or drop her off with Williams, who would then drive her to the deal. Sometimes, too, they would switch off with Williams taking her to Smith if Smith received a call from a customer.
Smith pleaded guilty to the same charges and was sentenced on Nov. 1, 2022, to 18 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Smith to 20 years of supervised release following incarceration.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Lenexa, Kan., Police Department.
