Baltimore Businessman Facing Federal Charges for Using a Phone and the Internet to Promote a Prostitution Business

Baltimore, Maryland – Charles “Chuck” Nabit, age 64, of Baltimore, Maryland, has been charged by federal criminal complaint for using a phone and the Internet to promote a prostitution business.  Specifically, the criminal complaint alleges that Nabit arranged for commercial sex workers to be brought to his office in Baltimore to engage in commercial sex acts in exchange for payments made to the man who allegedly trafficked the women.  Nabit, who owns the Westport Group, LLC, located on Commerce Street in Baltimore, was arrested on June 10, 2020, and had his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.  U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth P. Gesner ordered that Nabit be released under the supervision of U.S. Pretrial Services, after posting a property bond.

The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur; Special Agent in Charge John Eisert of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Lisa Myers of the Howard County Police Department.

“We will investigate and prosecute those who participate in the crime of sex trafficking, whether through trafficking commercial sex workers or by paying traffickers for commercial sex from vulnerable victims,” said U.S. Attorney Robert K. Hur.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, as part of a federal sex trafficking investigation which led to the indictment of alleged sex trafficker, Deangelo Johnson, commercial sex workers whom Johnson trafficked described their interactions with Nabit.  One victim stated that Nabit would use a GoPro camera to record the sex acts and described Nabit as having a “fetish for young females.”  The affidavit alleges that Nabit used a cash app to pay Johnson directly for commercial sex acts performed by the women who worked for Johnson.  The affidavit documents 52 transactions between Nabit’s cash app and Johnson beginning in March 2019.  Further, the affidavit alleges that Nabit engaged in commercial sex acts with at least four commercial sex workers, using his office in downtown Baltimore and his vehicle to facilitate the activity.  The affidavit alleges that there are numerous transactions on Nabit’s cash app beginning August 28, 2018 and continuing through May 12, 2020 involving various females, including four alleged sex trafficking victims.  The payments made by Nabit for commercial sex during that time frame total more than $90,000. 

If convicted, Nabit faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for use of an interstate facility to promote a prostitution business.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt.  An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings. 

United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI and Howard County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mary W. Setzer and Ayn B. Ducao, who are prosecuting the case.

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