www2.tbo.com
WFLA - News Channel 8 The Tampa Tribune Centro
NewsNews

2 men to be sentenced for child sex trafficking

They asked for the Super Bowl Special.

As Tampa was gearing up for the football championship in 2009, undercover agents combed Craigslist for "erotic services" ads, looking for juvenile sex trafficking victims.

They spotted an ad that looked like an under-aged girl offering her services, and a Tampa Police detective placed a call.

The detective was quoted a price of $300 for two girls, and told to go to the Marriott Hotel at West Shore and Cypress.

At the hotel, the detective was met by an 18-year-old woman and a girl who claimed to be 17, but was actually 14. He gave them $300. After the woman took the money, law enforcement agents made their move.

Authorities say the 18-year-old has been a prostitute since the age of 16.

The two were arrested, along with Pasquale Holt, 25, who had driven them to the hotel. Agents found pornographic photos of the girl on Holt's cell phone.

Holt pleaded guilty last month to sex trafficking of a child, a charge that carries between 10 years and life in federal prison. Codefendant Manuel A. Walcott, 31, Holt's partner, was convicted by a federal jury Wednesday of two counts of child sex trafficking and one count of selling or buying a child.

Both men are scheduled to be sentenced in October - Holt on Oct. 29 and Walcott on Oct. 8.

Member Agreement / Privacy Statement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Deal of the Day

Advertisement

 

Most Popular

  • 1.Polk County homeowner shoots and kills intruder
  • 2.Tampa woman killed, 2 injured in Brandon crash
  • 3.Tropical Storm Beryl to bring rain, winds to Tampa Bay
  • 4.Tropical storm warnings issued on Atlantic coast
  • 5.Nine injured in Clearwater boat wreck
 

More Ways to Connect

Advertisement

Advertisement

Media General
KewlBoxBoxerJam: Games & Puzzles
Games, Puzzles & Trivia
Blockdot: Advergaming and Branded Media
Advergaming and Branded Media

MyYahoo!