Felon, living in federal half-way house, indicted for attempted sex trafficking of a minor

(Seattle) — A repeat offender, who had just been released to a half-way house from federal prison, has been indicted by the grand jury for attempted sex trafficking of a juvenile and attempted enticement of a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Brian T. Moran.  PRENTICE C. HOLLINGSWORTH, 45, faces a mandatory minimum ten years in prison if convicted of the charges.  HOLLINGSWORTH will be arraigned on the charges August 20, 2020.

According to records filed in the case, HOLLINGSWORTH was released to a federal half-way house in Tacoma in December 2019.  Less than a month later, he began communicating with an undercover Seattle Police Officer he had contacted via a web application.  In these communications, HOLLINGSWORTH attempted to recruit the undercover officer, who presented herself as a 15-year-old girl, to work for him as a prostitute.  HOLLINGSWORTH discussed many aspects of the prostitution business, including the fee he would charge the “juvenile” for his services as a pimp and the prices she should charge for various sex acts.  HOLLINGSWORTH also advised the “juvenile” that she could earn more money from sex buyers because of her age, and he encouraged her to leave school so she could devote more time to earning money in the sex trade.

In January 2020, HOLLINGSWORTH was arrested at the half-way house in Tacoma shortly after he arranged for the “juvenile” to check into a hotel room in Fife, Washington, for the purpose of prostitution.  

Both counts in the indictment are punishable by a mandatory minimum ten years in prison and up to life in prison.  HOLLINGSWORTH is already on lifetime federal supervised release because of prior sex offenses.

The charges contained in the indictment are only allegations.  A person is presumed innocent unless and until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The case is being investigated by the Seattle Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kate Crisham.