NEWS RELEASE

OFFICE OF THE UNITED STATES ATTORNEY

WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI

MATT J. WHITWORTH

Contact Don Ledford, Public Affairs ● (816) 426-4220 ● 400 East Ninth Street, Room 5510 ● Kansas City, MO 64106

www.usdoj.gov/usao/mow/index.html

JULY 16, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HUMAN TRAFFICKING RESCUE PROJECT

CHILLICOTHE MAN PLEADS GUILTY TO SELLING

CHILDREN FOR PROSTITUTION

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Matt J. Whitworth, Acting United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Chillicothe, Mo., man pleaded guilty in federal court today to child sex trafficking involving the sale of at least five minor victims for prostitution.

Randal G. Jennings, 42, of Chillicothe, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Greg Kays this afternoon to the commercial sex trafficking of children from Oct. 1, 2007, to Jan. 29, 2009.

Jennings admitted that he attempted to recruit five child victims to work for him as prostitutes. After recruiting the girls to motel rooms, he had the children pose for sexually explicit photos, which he used to advertise the children for sexual services on Internet Web sites. Jennings pimped out the girls for years, including one victim who was prostituted from the ages of 14 to 17.

The minor victims were caught in prostitution stings conducted by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department or the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department. With the exception of one occasion, Jennings was also caught driving the girls to the motel sting locations. In each of the stings, the minors agreed to perform sexual services for the undercover law enforcement officer in exchange for monetary payment.

Jennings was arrested on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, following an undercover prostitution sting at a motel in Johnson County, Kan. Responding to an ad on the Internet, an undercover law enforcement officer arranged to meet two girls for sexual activity. Shortly afterward, the affidavit says, Jennings dropped off two minor females at the agreed location. The two females, who were each 17 years old, agreed to perform sexual acts for $300. They were taken into protective custody. Jennings returned afterward, driving the same white van in which he had earlier brought the minors to the hotel, and was arrested.

Under federal statutes, Jennings is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of life in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia L. Cordes. It was investigated by the Kansas City, Mo., Police Department and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department.

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