Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Ryan Odell Oliver, a/k/a Dre, Fame, and Foreign, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, on federal charges for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and sex trafficking; conspiracy related to interstate prostitution and interstate transportation for prostitution; enticement to travel interstate for the purposes of prostitution; and possession of ammunition by a felon.
The indictment 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); Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
According to the 10-count indictment, from at least July 2018 through January 2019, Oliver and a co-conspirator recruited, transported, maintained, and trafficked two adult women, Victim 1 and Victim 2, using threats, force, and coercion to cause those victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Oliver and the co-conspirator allegedly received money and other things of value by having the women engage in commercial sex acts. From January 2018 through August 2018, the indictment alleges that Oliver also caused Victim 3 to engage in commercial sex acts, for which Oliver received money and other things of value.
The indictment alleges that Oliver and the co-conspirator took sexually explicit photographs of the victims which they used in online advertising websites, and listed a telephone number where the victims could be reached for a “date” or a commercial sex act. Oliver and others used a cellular phone to field responses to the online advertisements. At some point during the conspiracy Oliver physically assaulted the victims, including forced sexual intercourse or other sex acts, striking them with his hands, choking them, and displaying a firearm to them. Oliver also allegedly burned Victim 1 with lit cigarettes. Oliver and his co-conspirator transported the women from Maryland to other states, including Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and South Carolina, where they were directed to meet with sex customers for prostitution. On at least one occasion the conspirators used a ride-sharing application to transport Victim 2.
According to the indictment, Oliver and others used various means to coerce the victims’ continued participation in the prostitution enterprise, including establishing “rules” governing the behavior of the victims. As to Victim 1, Oliver also established a “quota” for profit from the prostitution dates that Victim 1 had to attain, withheld food from Victim 1, and required Victim 1 to obtain a tattoo bearing Oliver’s aliases “Fame” and “Foreign.” Oliver also allegedly assaulted others in front of Victim 2 and gave unknown controlled substances to Victim 2.
The indictment also charges Oliver with sex trafficking Victim 3 and alleges that Oliver assaulted or threatened to physically assault Victim 3 to coerce her continued participation in the prostitution enterprise, including forced sexual intercourse or sexual acts, striking Victim 3 with his hands, throwing objects at her, displaying a firearm to Victim 3, and giving controlled substances to Victim 3. Oliver also allegedly transported Victim 3 to Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and elsewhere to engage in prostitution.
Finally, the indictment alleges that Oliver illegally possessed 54 9mm cartridges and five 7.62 x 39mm cartridges, which Oliver knew he was prohibited from possessing due to a previous felony conviction.
Oliver’s co-conspirator died in Ohio in March 2019.
If convicted, Oliver faces a maximum sentence of life in federal prison for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking and a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to life in federal prison for each count of sex trafficking; a maximum of five years in federal prison for conspiracy related to interstate prostitution; a maximum of 10 years in federal prison for each count of two counts of interstate transportation for prostitution and for each of two counts of enticement to travel interstate for the purposes of prostitution; and a maximum of 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of ammunition. 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. Oliver is currently serving a state sentence for rape and will have an initial appearance on the federal charges at a later date.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI’s tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
United States Attorney Robert K. Hur commended HSI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Baltimore City for their work in the investigation and thanked the Alexandria, Virginia Police Department and the Lexington, Kentucky Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Hur thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel A. Loveland, Jr., Adam K. Ake, and Ayn B. Ducao, who are prosecuting the case.