After a two-day trial, a federal jury in Kentucky found Portier Q. Govan, 38, of Memphis, Tennessee, guilty on all five counts, including sex trafficking, conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, obstruction of a sex trafficking investigation, interstate transportation for prostitution, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Co-defendant, Brittany R. Howard, 25, of Bowling Green, Kentucky, pleaded guilty on Oct. 30 to interstate transportation for prostitution and obstructing a sex trafficking investigation.
Sentencing hearings are set for March 9 for Howard and March 25 for Govan.
Govan faces up to life in prison and mandatory restitution.
“This defendant used extreme threats of violence to compel an 18-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex, even holding a gun to her head to terrify, control and coerce her for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant sought to cover up his crime by repeatedly intimidating a witness to lie for him. A unanimous jury has found the defendant guilty of his heinous conduct, and our prosecution should make clear that we will not tolerate sex trafficking in our country. The Justice Department will use all the tools at our disposal to hold human traffickers accountable, to seek justice for survivors, and to protect survivors from harm.”
During the trial, officials stated evidence revealed that Govan and Howard met the victim at a gas station in Bowling Green. They lured her to their hotel room with false promises of earning good money and recruited her for commercial sex.
Govan further enticed her by taking her on a shopping trip to two malls in Tennessee. Later that night, back in Bowling Green, Govan and Howard persuaded the victim to meet a commercial sex customer with Howard.
After this, Govan’s behavior changed dramatically. He became controlling, intimidating, and violent. He demanded she maintain eye contact while speaking to him and threatened her life. At one point, he pressed a pistol to her head, fired a shot across her lap, narrowly missing her. He also showed her a video of himself beating a man tied to a chair. Govan sexually assaulted the victim and forced her into commercial sex for four days, using threats to keep her compliant.
When police discovered the situation, Govan tried to interfere with the investigation by instructing Howard to lie and prevent them from speaking to the victim. Even after his arrest, he attempted to obstruct the case by sending Howard letters from jail, directing her to continue lying.