SANTA ANA, CALIF.
A local pimp who recruited a woman through a social media website and advertising her services as a prostitute in an online publication plead guilty to a federal sex trafficking charge, according to officials.
Lawrence T. Gunn Jr., 33, whose last known residence was in Woodland Hills, pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion.
Gunn is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 2. He is facing up to life in prison.
Gunn was arrested after a nearly ten-month-long investigation into the commercial sex trafficking of more than 20 female victims who have been identified to date. Some of the victims who have been recovered are juveniles, according to Riverside County News Source.
Gunn, who is also known as “Classified,” forced the victim to get a tattoo of his moniker on her face after he recruited her on Facebook, according to a plea agreement filed in federal court.
Gunn admitted that he used force, threats of force, fraud and/or coercion that led the victim to engage in commercial sex acts between May 2015 and late February 2016.
Gunn took all of the money the victim collected from customers, according to the plea agreement. Gunn physically struck the woman if she attempted to keep any of the money or if she tried to leave, breaking her nose on one occasion. Gunn also admitted in his plea agreement that he threatened to kill the victim if she tried to leave him.
Once he completes his prison term, Gunn will be required to register as a sex offender.