Las Vegas, Nev. – A federal jury has convicted a Sacramento, California man of transporting a 15-year-old girl to Las Vegas on two occasions for the purposes of prostitution, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.

MARIO WEICKS, aka Mario Valardie, aka Anthony Hill, aka Marcus Williams, aka Marcus Daniels, age 30, was convicted by a jury on Wednesday evening, March 1, 2006, of two counts of Transportation of a Minor for Prostitution, two counts of Travel for Illicit Sexual Conduct, one count of Felon in Possession of a Firearm, and one count of Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The trial began on Monday, and was presided over by U.S. District Judge Kent J. Dawson.

According to the court records, on October 21 and October 29, 2004, WEICKS traveled from Sacramento, California, to Las Vegas, Nevada, with a fifteen-year-old female he had enticed to engage in prostitution. WEICKS also engaged in sexual relations with the juvenile in Las Vegas, and demanded that the girl provide him with the proceeds of her prostitution activities.

WEICKS was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department Officers on October 30, 2004, near the intersection Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Louis Street. Officers recovered a loaded 38 caliber revolver from the vehicle in which WEICKS transported the juvenile from California to Nevada. WEICKS told the juvenile he possessed the firearm to protect her during her work as a prostitute. WEICKS was prohibited under federal law from possessing the firearm, as he had been convicted of the felony offenses of Possession and Delivery of a Controlled Substance and Assault in the Third Degree in Spokane, Washington, in 1992 and 1996, respectively.

Following his arrest, WEICKS and his family members made repeated calls to the victim and her mother in an effort to have them provide false statements exonerating WEICKS.

WEICKS is scheduled to be sentenced on May 26, 2006, at 9:00 a.m. He faces a five- to 30-year period of imprisonment on each of the Transportation of a Minor charges; not more than 30 years imprisonment on each of the Travel With Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct charges; up to 10 years imprisonment on the Possession of the Firearm By a Convicted Felon charge, and not less than five years in prison on the Possession of the Firearm in Furtherance of a Crime of Violence charge, which must run consecutive to any other term of imprisonment imposed. He also faces a fine of up to $250,000 on each count.

This case was referred to the U.S. Attorney's Office by the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force, comprised of state, local and federal law enforcement partners who conduct weekly reviews of arrests in Clark County involving violent or recidivist offenders who are carrying guns illegally or using guns in crime. It was investigated by the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Vice Division, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christina M. Brown.

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