Department of Justice seal U.S. Department of Justice

Debra Wong Yang
United States Attorney
Central District of California


United States Courthouse
312 North Spring Street
Los Angeles, California 90012
PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2005
For Information, Contact Public Affairs
Thom Mrozek (213) 894-6947

TWO INDICTED IN CHILD PROSTITUTION CASE


Los Angeles, CA - A man and woman have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly conspiring to prostitute two children who were taken across California and Nevada to be sex workers.

Juan Rico Doss, 36, of Reno, Nevada, and Jacquay Quinn Ford, 26, of Sacramento, were named in a nine-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Los Angeles on June 29. Doss was turned over the federal authorities in Nevada on Friday on an alleged parole violation. Ford was arrested on unrelated charges by local authorities in Sacramento on Friday.

The indictment charges Doss and Ford each with two counts of sex trafficking of children, three counts of transporting a minor for the purpose of illegal sexual activity, and one count of conspiracy that alleges they plotted to commit sex trafficking of children and to transport a minor for the purpose of illegal sexual activity.

The indictment alleges that Doss and Ford prostituted two minor victims in both California and Reno, Nevada, during the first two weeks of May 2005. Specifically, Doss and Ford allegedly conspired to recruit a 14-year-old female and a 16-year-old female to work as prostitutes for Doss. Once the victims were recruited, the indictment alleges, the defendants transported them to various locations in California, including Los Angeles, Sacramento and Oakland, for the purpose of prostitution. On several occasions, the indictment alleges, Doss and Ford also transported these minors from Los Angeles and other parts of California to Reno, Nevada for the purpose of prostitution.

The indictment further alleges that during this time, the money from the commercial sexual exploitation of these minors was provided to Doss and Ford, who allegedly instructed the minors to lie about their ages if they were arrested.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation as part of the Innocence Lost Initiative, which targets offenders who prostitute minors. The matter was referred to the FBI by the Los Angeles Police Department's Hollywood Vice Unit.

This case is being jointly prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office in Los Angeles and the Department of Justice's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section.

If convicted, Doss faces up to life imprisonment for sex trafficking of children, and Ford faces up to 40 years in prison for sex trafficking of children. Both defendants, if convicted, face a mandatory five-year term of imprisonment and a maximum of 30 years imprisonment for transporting a minor for the purpose of illegal sexual activity.

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Release No. 05-099

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