Dontre Mchenry Pleads Guilty To Sex Trafficking Teenage Girls Throughout Minnesota

United States Attorney Andrew M. Luger today announced the guilty plea of DONTRE D’SEAN MCHENRY, a/k/a “Dontre Sean McHenry,” a/k/a “Avon,” a/k/a “Rico,” 25, for recruiting and sex trafficking teenage girls throughout Minnesota. MCHENRY pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a minor before Judge David S. Doty in United States District Court in Minneapolis. The defendant is expected to be sentenced at a future court appearance.

Minneapolis Police Chief Janee Harteau said: “Dontre McHenry has been transforming vulnerable girls into products for sale for years. This vile and horrific behavior will not be tolerated and we are determined to track down these people and bring them to justice. The Minneapolis Police Department, along with our law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting our youth. Our thanks go out to the police departments from the cities of Roseville, St. Paul, and Rochester, along with the Homeland Security Investigators who worked so closely with us on this case, along with U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger, for his tenacity in charging cases like this.”

Special Agent in Charge of HSI St. Paul J. Michael Netherland said: "Sex traffickers are constantly on the hunt for vulnerable children they can exploit for their financial gain, which is a heartless crime. It is imperative for law enforcement to protect those who cannot protect themselves. HSI will continue to work in tandem with our law enforcement partners to identify, investigate, and assist in the prosecution of individuals who have exploited children."

Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Provinzino, who is in charge of human trafficking prosecutions, said: “Sex trafficking of girls is a very real problem in Minnesota. We will continue to be aggressive in the prosecution of these cases to protect our young people from the manipulation and violence that causes them to be sold for sex. Today, Dontre McHenry is being held accountable for his role in recruiting and trafficking the most vulnerable girls in our state – runaways, recent immigrants, and girls in foster care. Protecting our children from violent and manipulative predators like this defendant is a central mission for the U.S. Attorney’s Office and for our law enforcement partners.”

According to the defendant’s guilty plea and documents filed in court, from at least January 2013 until March 2014, MCHENRY recruited at least three girls under the age of 18 and prostituted them for his own financial benefit. MCHENRY advertised girls on backpage.com and in chatrooms, and made a sexually-explicit video of a 15-year-old victim, which was sent out to prospective “johns.” MCHENRY directed the victims about how to talk to men on chat lines, what rates to charge for various sex acts, and how to set up “dates.” The victims were instructed to, and did, give all of the money they were paid for sex acts to the defendant.

According to documents filed in court, on March 13, 2014, Minneapolis police executed a search warrant at a motel room in Roseville, Minnesota, which was previously occupied by MCHENRY and victims. During the search, investigators discovered, among other evidence, handwritten notes and a book entitled “Pimpology: The 48 Laws of the Game.” The handwritten notes included references to trafficking and prostitution, as well as questions that referred to recruiting and coercing minors. MCHENRY also had photos on his cellphone of two victims in their underwear, as well as numerous text message conversations from customers arranging to meet with victims to purchase sex.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by Homeland Security Investigations, the Minneapolis Police Department, the St. Paul Police Department, the Rochester Police Department, and the Roseville Police Department.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Laura M. Provinzino and Melinda A. Williams are prosecuting the case.

Defendant Information:

DONTRE D’SEAN MCHENRY, a/k/a “Dontre Sean McHenry,” a/k/a “Avon,” a/k/a “Rico,” 25
St. Paul, Minn.

Convicted:
• Sex Trafficking of a Minor, 1 count

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