Jury Convicts Man of Sex Trafficking and Obstruction of a Sex Trafficking Prosecution

A federal jury in the District of Maine on Friday convicted Ricardo Middleton, aka Red, 32, of Boston, of sex trafficking and obstruction of a sex trafficking prosecution, after a four-day trial. Middleton was found guilty of sex trafficking a young woman through force, fraud and coercion, and, while detained pending trial, of instructing a co-defendant not to incriminate him.

The evidence presented at trial demonstrated that Middleton targeted a heroin-addicted 25-year-old woman living in South Portland, Maine. He compelled her to engage in commercial sex, using drugs, lies, intimidation, physical violence and rape as means to control her. Testimony provided details of the three days in November 2015, in which Middleton, along with co-defendants Sherry Jones of Dorchester, Massachusetts, and Mathew Thatcher of Scarborough, Maine, transported the victim to several locations in Maine and Massachusetts. Along the way, Middleton berated the victim, slapping her, punching her and throwing pennies at her when she said she was hungry and asked to buy food. The victim testified to painful details, including how the defendant raped her, and told her that he was “going to make a lot of money off” her.

“This defendant preyed on this vulnerable victim, and used cruel and brutal violence to coerce her into commercial sex acts for his own financial gain,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “We thank this survivor for coming forward and courageously reporting her harrowing experience. The Justice Department will vigorously prosecute human trafficking crimes to hold offenders accountable, to seek justice for survivors and to affirm their rights and dignity.”

“The prosecution of human trafficking in Maine is a top priority for my office, and this verdict ensures that Middleton will be held accountable for this unconscionable crime,” said U.S. Attorney Darcie N. McElwee for the District of Maine. “Human trafficking takes advantage of our most vulnerable citizens and seeks to rob them of their basic human rights. Middleton perpetrated significant violence upon this victim, including sexual assault, all to coerce and exploit her into committing commercial sexual acts for Middleton’s own profit and gain.”

“Middleton and his collaborators treated their victims like property, exploiting their addiction and using horrific violence to ensure compliance. He further attempted to silence those who were prepared to testify against him, but after today’s guilty verdict Middleton is facing a significant sentence in federal prison, far away from those he’s victimized,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New England Field Office. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the survivor who made her voice heard, reliving what were surely some of the most terrifying moments of her life. HSI will never cease in its mission to investigate human traffickers and help survivors find the support they deserve to begin a new life with dignity.”

Prior to the defendant’s trial, Jones pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, and Thatcher pleaded guilty to interstate travel in aid of racketeering. Neither testified at trial. All three defendants are scheduled to be sentenced on a future date. Middleton faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 15 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The HSI New England Field Office, Office of the Portland Resident Agent in Charge investigated the case, with assistance from the Biddeford Police Department, Portland Police Department, South Portland Police Department, Topsham Police Department and Saco Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorney David Joyce for the District of Maine and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash and Deputy Director William Nolan 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 www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.