3 Midlands people indicted in interstate child sex trafficking conspiracy
Image: Department of Justice (D.O.J.)
Image: Department of Justice (D.O.J.)
COLUMBIA, S.C (WOLO)– A federal grand jury in Columbia returned a 10-count indictment charging three Columbia-area defendants in a child sex trafficking conspiracy, said the Department of Justice.
Antonio Marquis Nicholson, 32, of West Columbia, was charged with human trafficking conspiracy, three counts sex trafficking of a minor, three counts coercion and enticement of a minor, interstate travel to promote illegal sexual activity, interstate transportation of a minor for illegal sexual activity, and one count of witness tampering.
Rebecca Melanie Perry, 30, of Columbia, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia, was charged with human trafficking conspiracy, sex trafficking of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, and interstate travel to promote illegal sexual activity.
Terrell Counts, 33, of Columbia, was charged with three counts coercion and enticement of a minor.
And a fourth defendant Monesha Tatayana Lapri Gary, 24, of Clinton, was also indicted with them and charged with human trafficking conspiracy, three counts of sex trafficking of a minor, and three counts of coercion and enticement of a minor.
Investigators say between December 2022 and July 2023 Nicholson, Gary, and Perry enticed, transported, harbored, and maintained at least three minor victims in the commercial sex trade.
They are accused of finding victims who were minors and runaways, then provided them with lingerie, obtained photographs, and advertised the victims on the internet for commercial sex.
Also, they are accused of communicating with customers and arranging commercial sex for customers with the minors and then confiscated proceeds.
The indictment further alleges that Nicholson and Perry travelled across state lines, and that Nicholson took a minor from North Carolina to South Carolina for the purposes of illegal sexual activity.
Nicholson, Gary, and Perry face a mandatory 15 years in prison while Counts faces a mandatory 10 years, and each defendant faces up to life in prison, said officials.
The defendants also face life terms of supervision by the federal court following any term of imprisonment, sex offender registration, and mandatory restitution payable to victims.
Gary and Counts were ordered by a judge to be detained pending any trial or bond hearing. Nicholson and Perry will be arraigned on Jan. 30 at 10:00 a.m.
