Kansas man pleads guilty to interstate sex trafficking

TOPEKA, Kan. — A Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court Monday to conspiring to operate an interstate sex trafficking business.

This guilty plea resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the FBI, and the Topeka (Kansas) Police Department.

Sean P. Hall, 46, of Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy. In his plea, he admitted to conspiring with co-defendants to operate a Topeka-based prostitution business. At times, as many as 20 women were working as prostitutes for the organization. The leader of the organization rented houses where some of the prostitutes were allowed to live and used Internet sites, social media and cell phones to advertise sexual services and keep track of prostitutes.

Hall admitted that in 2012 he started working for co-defendant Frank Boswell at Club Magic, a nightclub in Lawrence, Kansas. Hall became a trusted employee and learned from Boswell how the prostitution business operated. Hall transported prostitutes to and from meetings with clients, posted photos of prostitutes on Internet sites advertising their services and promoted the business by posting reviews of prostitutes on other websites that advertised sexual services.

Sentencing is set for Oct. 3. Hall faces a penalty of up to five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000 on each count. 

Co-defendant Frank Boswell, 42, of Topeka, is awaiting trial. Co-defendant Rachel Flenniken, 34, of Topeka, pleaded guilty earlier this month and is set for sentencing Oct. 17.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.