SANTA ANA, California
A Wilmington man pleaded guilty Friday to federal sex trafficking charges after forcing a fentanyl-addicted woman into prostitution, then raping and abandoning her in the Angeles National Forest, officials stated.
Leslie Anthony Bailey, 33, admitted to one count of sex trafficking by force and coercion. He has been in custody since March 2024, according to authorities.
According to his plea agreement, in February 2022, Bailey contacted a woman undergoing fentanyl withdrawal at a treatment center. After offering drugs, he picked her up, bought fentanyl, and took her to his Long Beach home.
The next day, he forced her to engage in prostitution in Anaheim, threatening violence and withholding drugs unless she complied.
Bailey continued trafficking the victim for several days. On February 8, after promising to return her to rehab, he instead drove her to a remote area in the Angeles National Forest, where he beat, raped, and abandoned her.
Bailey also admitted to trafficking a second victim between March and April 2023 across Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties, using violence and threats to control her, officials stated.
He faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years to life in federal prison when sentenced on July 18 by U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations, the Orange County Human Trafficking Task Force, and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin N. Spencer is prosecuting.