MIAMI — Three South Florida men have been sentenced to federal prison for trafficking and sexually exploiting three vulnerable teenage girls who had run away from foster care, forcing the victims into commercial sex acts for their financial gain, officials announced Monday.
According to federal prosecutors, the defendants exploited the minors through a sex trafficking scheme that targeted the runaway girls.
U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks sentenced:
- Antonio Michel, 36, of Delray Beach, to 180 months (15 years) in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor.
- Jaime Figueroa, 36, of Boynton Beach, to 235 months (more than 19½ years) in prison after pleading guilty to production of child sexual abuse material.
- Raymond Jean, 46, of Greenacres, to 144 months (12 years) in prison after pleading guilty to sex trafficking of a minor.
Federal authorities said the three defendants forced the teenage victims to engage in commercial sex acts for the defendants’ financial benefit.
Fast Facts
- Location: Miami, Florida
- Defendants: Antonio Michel, Jaime Figueroa, Raymond Jean
- Victims: Three teenage girls who had run away from foster care
- Crimes: Sex trafficking of minors and production of child sexual abuse material
- Michel’s Sentence: 180 months (15 years)
- Figueroa’s Sentence: 235 months (more than 19½ years)
- Jean’s Sentence: 144 months (12 years)
- Court: U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
- Judge: U.S. District Judge Donald M. Middlebrooks
According to court documents, the defendants targeted three teenage girls who had run away from foster care, exploiting their youth, instability and lack of family support for financial gain.
Prosecutors said Antonio Michel, often assisted by Raymond Jean, transported the victims to hotels, motels and other locations where they were forced to engage in commercial sex acts. Michel also rented hotel and motel rooms used to facilitate the trafficking.
Authorities said Jaime Figueroa instructed the victims how much to charge for commercial sex acts, directed how the encounters should be conducted and regularly supplied them with crack cocaine.
The victims turned over the proceeds to Figueroa. After his arrest, investigators searched his cellphone and found child sexual abuse material he had produced involving one of the victims.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations West Palm Beach and the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office Human Trafficking Task Force.