Alabama Men Convicted of Sex Trafficking Multiple Women and Girls

WASHINGTON - Following a 4-day trial, a federal jury in the Middle District of Alabama convicted Kimani Jones, 32, also known as "Statik," of Montgomery, Alabama, and Tremayne Lambert, 50, also known as "Bayrock," of Montgomery, Alabama, on multiple charges of sex trafficking several victims. Specifically, the jury found that Jones compelled seven victims, including two minors, to commit commercial sex acts between August 2016 and November 2020. The jury also found that Jones transported and caused to be transported two victims, including one minor, across state lines for prostitution purposes. The jury found Lambert guilty of sex trafficking one victim between August 2017 and February 2018 and two other victims between July 2019 and November 2020. Three additional co-defendants previously pleaded guilty for their respective roles in the sex trafficking enterprise.

"The defendants targeted vulnerable women and girls before using physical and sexual violence, along with threats of violence against them and others, to create a climate of fear that terrified the victims," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. "The Justice Department is committed to vindicating the rights of human trafficking victims and enforcing the federal human trafficking laws, and this prosecution is a testament to the courageous young women who detailed the coercive scheme these defendants perpetrated for years on scores of women and girls."

"These defendants exploited the vulnerabilities of women and young girls for their own profit, showing complete disregard for human dignity," said Acting U.S. Attorney Kevin Davidson. "Every victim deserves justice, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that those who prey on others are held accountable for their crimes."

Evidence presented during the trial showed that Jones organized and led an extensive commercial sex operation. Jones rented hotel rooms where commercial sex acts occurred; provided food, clothing, and drugs to the victims; constructed advertisements for commercial sex that he then posted online to solicit customers; communicated with potential customers regarding the sex acts and prices involved for them; dictated in which cities the victims would live and engage in commercial sex acts, and set rules that he required the victims to follow, which included, for example, the minimal amount of money that they needed to earn per day. Jones did not have a lawful job during the years he ran his sex trafficking operation but instead subsisted off the earnings of the victims. Jones frequently flaunted the money that he made from the victims on social media.

The evidence presented during the trial demonstrated that Jones used extensive violence against the victims and others in the victims' presence. For instance, Jones grabbed one victim, who was a minor at the time, by the throat and dragged her for moving too slowly. Jones routinely struck women in the face, knocking out one victim's teeth, breaking another's jaw, and striking one so hard she urinated on herself. Jones also sexually assaulted the victims to assert his dominance and control over them, and threatened to hurt them and, in some instances, their family members, telling one victim that her son would not be able to play sports if his legs were broken. Jones, who has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, also intimidated the victims by possessing, brandishing, and shooting firearms within the victims' presence. He further manipulated the victims' withdrawal from drugs, such as heroin and methamphetamine, to compel their continued commercial sex acts for his financial benefit.

Co-defendant Lambert, the biological father of Jones and who also has a prior federal conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, facilitated his son's coercive scheme by serving as a monitor of the victims and rule enforcer. Three other co-defendants previously pleaded guilty in connection with this case. Joseph Keon Bowe, 39, and Daryle Gardner, 32, each pleaded guilty to sex trafficking while Aleccia Scott, 29, pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.

Both defendants face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison as well as mandatory restitution. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

DHS-HSI, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, the Alabama Attorney General's Office, the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Montgomery Police Department investigated the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Ratz for the Middle District of Alabama and Trial Attorney Kate Alexander of the Civil Rights Division's Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.

Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit https://www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department's efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at https://www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.