Two People From Minnesota Indicted For Sex Trafficking

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a man and a woman from Minneapolis, Minnesota, have been indicted by a federal grand jury for Sex Trafficking by Force, Fraud and Coercion.

David Nance, age 31, and Ashley Crayton, age 26, appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John E. Simko on September 17, 2014, and pled not guilty to the Indictment.

The maximum penalty upon conviction is a mandatory minimum of 15 years in custody or a maximum of life imprisonment.  There could also be a $250,000 fine, a minimum of 5 years supervised release, up to life, and restitution may also be ordered.

Sioux Falls police responded to a call from the Red Roof Inn regarding a complaint of possible prostitution activity at the hotel. Several men were observed entering and leaving a specific room in the hotel. Further investigation was conducted and the two defendants were subsequently arrested.

The charge is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. 

The investigation is being conducted by the Sioux Falls Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey C. Clapper is prosecuting the case.   

Nance and Crayton were remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.  A trial date has been set for November 25, 2014.