2 Missouri men charged with federal sex trafficking

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Two men from St. Louis, Missouri, were charged in federal court Tuesday with allegedly operating an egregious sex trafficking organization involving three women who were severely abused and forced to work as prostitutes.

These indictments resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Independence (Missouri) Police Department.

Calvin Anthony Miller, aka “Serious,” 34, and his cousin, Henry Dailey, 36, were charged with conspiracy to commit sex trafficking in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court in Kansas City. Miller and Dailey remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Oct. 20.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, an HSI special agent operating undercover assisted the Independence Police Department by posing as a customer attempting to hire a prostitute. On Oct. 14, the HSI special agent located an online ad for an individual later identified as Victim 1. The online ad included provocative and partially nude photos, her description and some possible acts that she was willing to do for money. The HSI special agent contacted Victim 1 and she agreed to meet him at a hotel.   

When the two met, Victim 1 provided law enforcement with information on Miller, whom she said was her pimp. She also told the HSI special agent about Dailey, and said both men exploited commercial sex workers. Victim 1 told law enforcement officers that Miller was violent and abusive, the affidavit says.

The affidavit further alleges that Victim 1 located online ads for two additional women who had been trafficked by Miller, identified as Victims 2 and 3. Victim 2, who is described in the affidavit as “a very young baby-faced girl,” had recently arrived in Kansas City on a bus with Dailey.

An Independence police detective located Victim 2 with Dailey at a local hotel. They were detained, and Victim 2 told the detective that she wanted to get away from the group and just wanted to go home. Law enforcement officers also found Victim 3 at the same hotel. She stated, “If I tell you anything he will kill me,” and she started crying. Victim 3 stated that she did not believe the police could provide enough security to protect her from “these guys.” Victim 3 also said she wanted to leave and get away from Miller.

While at the hotel, HSI special agents determined that Miller had rented two rooms on the third floor and a room on the first floor. HSI special agents contacted Miller on the third floor. Miller was noncompliant with law enforcement requests and was subsequently subdued by several officers and arrested.

Each of the victims told authorities that Miller and Dailey required them to work as prostitutes, took all of their money, and threatened them with violence and death if they tried to leave. According to the affidavit, they also said that Miller and Dailey forced them to use drugs to keep them addicted and dependent upon them.

Victim 3 said Miller had broken her hip during a violent encounter in Overland Park, Kansas, in June 2016. According to the affidavit, Victim 3 was treated at the hospital, and when she was released, she was given pain medication to last six weeks. After a week, she said, Miller had used the remaining amount of her pain medication. After two weeks, Miller allegedly required her to begin working as a commercial sex worker with a broken hip, without pain medication.

According to the affidavit, Victim 3 showed federal agents the ledger where she had been keeping track of the money she had made. Victim 3 told HSI special agents that she had paid Miller about $13,000 over the past month.

Victim 3 told HSI special agents that Miller had transported her from St. Louis to Kansas City, Las Vegas, and as far away as Washington state to work as a commercial sex worker. She wanted to leave on multiple occasions, she said, but was not able to leave. Victim 3 also told HSI special agents that Miller had a Google voice account which allowed him to view all her text messages and hear the verbal conversations on her phone.   

The charges contained in this complaint are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.