Massachusetts gang member sentenced to 15 years in prison for sex trafficking minors
BOSTON — A Massachusetts man was sentenced in federal court Monday for prostituting high school girls. This sentence resulted from an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Boston Police Department, Rhode Island State Police, Massachusetts State Police, and the police departments of the cities of Providence, Rhode Island and Brookline, Brockton, and Dedham in Massachusetts.
Anthony Pledger, aka “Polo,” “Polo B,” and “Jaden,” 27, and of Boston, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In February 2015, Pledger pleaded guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of two minor women after being indicted in February 2014.
“A recent trend among sex predators and traffickers is the evolving use of modern communications tools to ‘groom’ a potential victim,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre, of HSI Boston. “Mr. Pledger’s use of these tools to attempt to lure his child victims into sexual slavery tears at the very fabric of our community. Homeland Security Investigations will continue to work aggressively in cooperation with our federal, state and local partners to attack, disrupt and dismantle criminal organizations that harm the vulnerable members of society through such despicable means.”
“Sex traffickers recruit young women from families across the economic spectrum,” said Carmen M. Ortiz, U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts. “No family, no matter how well educated or well off is immune. Traffickers prey upon the vulnerabilities of impressionable young people, and while it is the job of law enforcement to bring traffickers to justice, it is the duty of all to shield young people from predators such as this defendant.”
In October 2013, Pledger brought 16 and 15-year-old girls from Massachusetts to Providence, Rhode Island, intending to have them engage in prostitution. The minors were rescued by Rhode Island and Massachusetts police officers before any prostitution occurred.
A prior indictment also charged Miriam Kizzie, 21, with sex trafficking of two other minors (identified as Minors 3 and 4) in July 2013. Kizzie was sentenced in May 2015 to 153 months in prison for causing a 14-year-old girl and a 15-year-old girl, to be advertised online for prostitution and to engage in prostitution.
Court documents alleged that both Pledger and Kizzie were members of the Thetford Avenue Buffalos, a local Boston street gang.
As part of Pledger’s sentence, he may not have contact with other alleged members of the gang during the five years of his supervised release. Pledger must also register as a sex offender.
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