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HOUSTON - A 28-year-old resident of Houston was sentenced to more than two decades for sex trafficking a seventh-grader.
Juwan James Davis pleaded guilty on March 2 and received a 25-year prison term from U.S. District Judge Alfred H. Bennett. During the hearing, the court learned of Davis's attempts to manipulate and control the minor victim even while incarcerated, which included contacting her to persuade her to drop the charges
Davis was also ordered to serve 15 years on supervised release after completing his prison sentence and to register as a sex offender.
Authorities suspected Davis of trafficking a 13-year-old girl for sex and began their investigation in February 2018.
The young girl reported to investigators she met Davis on Snapchat, and he asked her to engage in sexual acts for money. Davis advertised her for commercial sex by posting ads of her in lingerie on Backpage, investigators say.
Davis would drive her to hotels and wait nearby while she engaged in commercial sex with clients. Afterward, she would contact Davis, who would pick her up and collect the money.
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The victim also reported that Davis provided her with drugs and had her marked with a tattoo with his initials.
According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, law enforcement secured a search warrant for Davis's phone and discovered messages between him and the victim discussing her involvement and the fees charged for sexual acts. The phone contained numerous pictures of the victim, some of which were utilized in the Backpage ads. There were also images of the seventh-grader with a tattoo of Davis's initials on her buttocks.
Authorities report the minor victim passed away earlier this year at the age of 18. Davis will remain in custody until his transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility is determined.
"Tragically, the young victim in this case died just a few months ago at the tender age of 18. Five years ago, when she was only 13, she should have been participating in what normal middle schoolers do - soccer games, school plays, and pep rallies," said U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani. "Instead, Juwan James Davis sold her body for sex; something a 7th grader should never have to endure. This sentence not only sends a message to others who prey on young children but also gives this young victim’s family a sense of justice. It is just a shame she was not able to be in court to see it for herself."
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations and the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office as part of the Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sherri Zack and Kim Leo prosecuted the case.