Two Appear in Court for Sex Trafficking Of A Minor

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – A South Texas woman and a former Rockport man have appeared in federal court following their arrests for sex trafficking of a nine-year-old girl, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Abe Martinez.

A grand jury indicted David Keith Wills, 64, now of North Potomac, Maryland, along with Maria Candelaria Losoya, 55, of Brownsville, on June 28, 2017. They were arrested July 14. Today and yesterday, Losoya and Wills made their respective appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice B. Ellington. At the hearings, the court heard testimony that Wills and Losoya started sexually assaulting a nine-year-old victim in Brownsville in 2012. Wills later moved to Rockport. After that time, the court heard that Losoya traveled with the victim from Brownsville to Rockport so that Wills could continue the abuse in exchange for money, according to the allegations.

Wills was permitted release upon posting a $5 million bond. Losoya’s conditions of release are pending.

The indictment alleges that between Sept. 1, 2012, and April 7, 2015, Wills and Losoya trafficked a minor under the age of 14 for commercial sex using force, fraud or coercion. If convicted, both face a minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison as well as a possible $250,000 maximum fine. Upon completion of any prison term imposed, both also face a maximum term of life on supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, Texas Rangers and police departments in Brownsville and Rockport conducted the investigation.

This case, prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugo R. Martinez, was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab "resources."

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law