Albuquerque Man Pleads Guilty in Child Sex Trafficking Case

ALBUQUERQUE - A California man with ties to Albuquerque pleaded guilty in federal court to sex trafficking two minors and transporting them to New Mexico for commercial sex acts, and a second defendant pleaded guilty to concealing the offense.

According to court documents, in December 2024, Roderick Norseweather Jr., 26, recruited two minors in California and transported, provided for, and maintained them for the purpose of engaging in commercial sex acts. Norseweather purchased cell phones for the minors, required them to use the Life360 app-an application designed to monitor family members-so he could monitor their locations, created a coded emoji system to track their commercial sex activity, rented hotel and motel rooms, and paid for food, clothing, and other services to keep them engaged in commercial sex for his benefit.

On December 29, 2024, Norseweather sent the two minors and Tajahne Johnson, 22, by Amtrak from California to New Mexico using tickets he purchased so the minors could engage in commercial sex in another state. Johnson was aware of the plan and engaged in commercial sex alongside the minors in Albuquerque.

From December 30, 2024, through January 3, 2025, Norseweather directed the minors to engage in commercial sex through text messages and Instagram, posted commercial sex advertisements online using their photos, and arranged meetings with buyers. He later traveled to Albuquerque to collect over $3000 in proceeds from their commercial sex acts.

Court documents show that, after law enforcement made contact on January 3, 2025, Johnson texted Jane Doe 2 not to come to the area and lied to law enforcement about the minors' relationship to Norseweather in order to conceal his involvement.

Johnson pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony and remains in custody pending sentencing. She faces an agreed upon sentence of three years in prison.

Norseweather pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of children and two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He will remain in custody pending sentencing and faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison and Justin A. Garris, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Albuquerque Field Office, made the announcement today.

The FBI's Albuquerque Field Office and Albuquerque Police Department investigated this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Trembley and Patrick E. Cordova are prosecuting the case.