ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Two men associated with the Underground Gangster Crips (UGC) set based in Fairfax County, Va., pled guilty today to their roles in running a prostitution business that recruited and trafficked high school girls.
Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, Kenneth T. Cuccinelli II, Attorney General of Virginia, Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police, and Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office Criminal Division, made the announcement.
Today, Michael Tavon Jefferies, aka “Loc,” 21, of Woodbridge, Va., and Christopher Sylvia, 23, of Springfield, Va., pled guilty to sex trafficking of a juvenile. They each face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years and a maximum penalty of life in prison. Sentencing for Jefferies has been scheduled for July 6, 2012, before United States District Judge Leonie M. Brinkema. Sentencing for Sylvia has been set for July 20, 2012, before United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee.
According to a statement of facts filed with his plea agreement, Jefferies admitted to being a member of UGC and that the gang engaged in sex trafficking of juveniles and adults from April 2009 through March 2012. He served as a bodyguard for the UGC prostitution enterprise and collected the proceeds received from prostitution, providing a portion to another member of UGC and keeping a portion for himself. Jefferies also admitted to paying for an advertisement on Backpage.com to solicit customers and paying for hotel rooms for one of the juvenile prostitutes.
In his statement of facts, Sylvia admitted that he was a UGC associate who assisted the gang in transporting juveniles in November 2011 and January 2012 as they engaged in prostitution on behalf of the gang.
This case was investigated by the Fairfax County Police Department and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with assistance from the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Special Assistant United States Attorney Marc Birnbaum from the Virginia Attorney General’s Office and Assistant United States Attorney Inayat Delawala are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.
Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – along with nongovernmental organizations – dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.
The Fairfax County Police Department has set up a telephone number for use by anyone with information about cases in Fairfax County. That number is: 703-246-4006. You will be prompted to leave your contact information for investigators.
-Press release
