SACRAMENTO – On January 17, 2017, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced that defendants Quinton Brown and Gerald Turner pled guilty to multiple felony charges of sex trafficking of a minor.

In a plea agreement, Brown and Turner entered guilty pleas in Tulare County Superior Court. Brown is expected to serve a 28-year sentence, and Turner is expected to serve an 11-year sentence. A third defendant, Mia McNeil, is expected back in court on February 26.

“Sex trafficking is a horrible crime committed by despicable individuals who don’t deserve the freedoms our society offers,” said California Statewide Law Enforcement Association (CSLEA) President Alan Barcelona.  “Law enforcement officers are increasingly aware of the signs of sex trafficking and work to rescue victims and arrest the suspects.”

“Today’s guilty pleas are a prime example of how we will fight to ensure that justice is served upon those who commit the heinous crime of sex trafficking,” said Attorney General Becerra. “Delivering justice for victims of these crimes is a top priority for me as Attorney General. I want to thank all of the law enforcement agents and officers throughout the state who worked tirelessly on this investigation and who work every day to ensure Californians are safe. My team will continue to work to protect victims from sex trafficking and prosecute those who profit from the exploitation of human beings.”

In July 2017, 54 felony charges were filed against Brown, Turner and McNeil, following a six-month investigation by the Division of Law Enforcement of the California Department of Justice, Tulare County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and the Los Angeles Regional Human Trafficking Task Force. The criminal complaint alleged that Brown lured victims from the Central Valley and trafficked them throughout the State.  It also alleged that Turner trafficked minors in the Central Valley and that McNeil fraudulently procured luxury vehicles and apartments used to facilitate the trafficking. The victims, including eight minors, were sold for commercial sex throughout the Central Valley, Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Victims and survivors of human trafficking are encouraged to call any police department or the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at (888) 373-7888