human trafficking rescue project
kC man sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking women into forced prostitution
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced that a Kansas City, Mo., man was sentenced in federal court today for commercial sex trafficking.
Michael L. Buck, 37, of Kansas City, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Gary A. Fenner to 15 years in federal prison without parole, which is the statutory maximum penalty. The court ordered the sentence to be served consecutively to his remaining state sentences. The court will rule on the matter of restitution for Buck’s victims at a later date.
On May 12, 2010, Buck pleaded guilty to trafficking women into involuntary servitude and coerced commercial sex. Buck admitted that he obtained females to engage in commercial sex acts, and that he caused them to engage in commercial sex acts through threats of serious harm, physical restraint, and force. Buck utilized a phone service, Quest, to advertise the women for sexual acts in Kansas City, Mo., and in Independence, Mo., and obtained customers from both Missouri and Kansas. He sold the women in such locations as apartments, houses, motels and strip clubs.
This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cynthia L. Cordes. It was investigated by the Independence, Mo., Police Department in conjunction with the Human Trafficking Rescue Project.
